Exclusive: Cadiz President Manuel Vizcaino Opens Up on Club’s History, La Liga Form, Targets, International Expansion and More

In the last few seasons, Cadiz has managed to grow its presence on and off the field across the soccer universe. The soccer club gained promotion back to the top tier of the Spanish football pyramid in 2020. During their first season, they signed incredible players like soccer veteran Alvaro Negredo. His experience and eye for goal are what gave Cadiz a commendable start to their tenure in La Liga.

Cadiz finished #12 and  #17 in its first two La Liga seasons, respectively. Similarly, the Spanish soccer club is battling for a respectable mid-table finish this season.

In a recent exclusive interview with Essentially Sports, Cadiz’s President spoke about his club’s form on the pitch, and several short-term and long terms targets. Additionally, Manuel Vizcaino also shed some light on Cadiz’s plans for international expansion.

In conversation with Manuel Vizcaino

This is Cadiz’s third consecutive season in La Liga after promotion in 2020. What is the club’s next biggest target in your opinion?

Believing in what we do every day and growing every season.

The Ramon de Carranza Trophy used to host several international teams in the past. Do you plan to revive its international status with top teams competing in it?

The Carranza Trophy has adapted to the new times. It continues to be a reference and will continue to be so. The visit of Atlético de Madrid has been that of one of the best teams in Europe.

You have previously been with Sevilla FC. What do you think are some major differences between Sevilla and Cadiz?

Sevilla and Cádiz are two clubs with many things in common and also differences. I was at the best moment in the history of Sevilla and now I’m living it with Cádiz. I never thought of being the president of a football club, but today I am very happy.

What is the core value you seek to instill in a club with a rich history like Cadiz?

Eight years ago, Cádiz was bankrupt. We have grown a lot these years and we want to continue growing. Believing and growing are our priorities.

What do you think about the Cadiz Academy, and the young players coming through?

Our B team is the youngest in its category. We want players who love these colors and fight for them. Every year, there are many young people who are making their debut in La Liga Santander. They are our future.

If you could sign one player in the world right now, who would it be?

I stay with my players because they are the best.

Going about how the season is going on and the pressure right now of being in a rather grave position, how do you feel about the team and what are your expectations & predictions from the team?

The competition is very even in the lower zone. It will be very difficult to achieve the objective, but I am convinced that we are going to achieve it.

The World Cup break – how did a team like Cadiz cope with such a long break? 10 points before the world cup and now 14 after that, clearly the performance has improved but now at 15th in the table, what is the pressure like?

It has been a strange season with that break. It has helped all the teams to learn and to adapt to a different situation.

What is your basic strategy when going into such a competitive transfer market? How much do you rely on trying to bring players in and how much do you think depends on your own academy?

In our philosophy is to sell to grow. Players who are committed to our club and who make us bigger will come. Our academy is the basis of our future project.

READ MORE: Exclusive: Alvaro Negredo Opens up on His Future – “I Would Like to Retire From Football at Cadiz”

Cadiz’s strategy for international expansion

Cadiz is now open to international expansion. The Spanish soccer club intends to dive into several new lines of businesses, including opening academies in the country of destination, performing drafts, training coaches and players, and managing programs tailored to the required ask.

Moreover, the soccer football club already has a designated team that travels to different soccer-playing nations. The aim behind this is to attract as many youngsters to experience the club’s academy facilities. This will also help Cadiz establish itself as a leading brand in the soccer universe, mainly for global sponsorships.

In recent years, Cadiz has been able to develop soccer drafts in diverse countries like the UAE, Morocco, Venezuela, Honduras, and most importantly, India. From 2019-20, Cadiz developed drafts in 22 different cities in India. It signed an MoU with the Indian Federation (AIFF) and also welcomed Masters students from India.

In 2021, the club decided to take the help of its ex-players to reach an agreement with their country. Hence, President Manuel Vizcaino and Vice-president Rafael Contreras visited El Salvador, the hometown of Mágico González, to close an agreement with 262 academies.

After helping Uzbekistan nurture football players in-house for the future, the club also reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, and China to offer a variety of its services from attending drafts to organizing a long-term program for the players and students.

The principal aim behind all of this is to make Cadiz grow as an international brand. This year in 2023, the club will visit the federations of  11 more football-playing countries including the Dominican Football Federation, the Cape Verdean Football Federation, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania Football Federation, and many more.

Without a doubt, Cadiz is the only club in La Liga that has established its presence in countries like the United States, India, China, Indonesia, and many Arab countries through its diverse strategy on social media in 13 different languages. While having the best engagement/followers ratio, the club has grown the most after earning 700 million followers during the 2021/22 season.

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