The RFEF turns the Spain-Netherlands match into a landmark solidarity event for those affected by the floods

The chain of good will for those affected by the tragic floods was clearly evident this Sunday in Valencia, marking the UEFA Nations League return match between Spain and the Netherlands.

The president of the RFEF, Rafael Louzán, took advantage of the institutional event before the match to present, together with his Dutch counterpart, Frank Paauw, a cheque for €10,000, which will go towards rebuilding the El Palleter football field. The cheque was received by the mayoress of Paiporta, María Isabel Albalat.

The mayoress of the Valencian town followed the match from the VIP box at Mestalla Stadium, alongside the mayors from the municipalities most affected by the flooding on October 29.

Earlier, on Sunday morning, Albalat received a visit from a delegation from the RFEF and the Royal Dutch Football Association, during which she showed the still-visible damage caused by the floods and the ongoing reconstruction of the El Palleter football pitch, where the RFEF is deeply involved in its restoration.

The solidarity message "We play for you," displayed on the Spanish players' T-shirts in the warm-up before their match, featured on them the names of the most affected towns and they were joined by a giant banner with the same slogan, which was prominently displayed at Mestalla before the kick off. The players were escorted out by young footballers from local clubs, who are gradually returning to the reconstructed facilities and some sort of normality.

The institutional event held in the VIP box at the Valencian stadium also served to honour the memory of the victims and the work of the volunteers, with the presence of the Councillor for Sports of the Valencia City Council, María del Rocío Gil; the president of the Valencia Provincial Council, Vicente Mompó; the General Director of Sports of the Generalitat Valenciana, Luis Cervera; the Secretary of State for Sports, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes; the UEFA delegate, Paul Tompkins; the General Director of Valencia CF, Javier Solís; the president of the Football Federation of the Valencian Community, Salvador Gomar; as well as the highest-ranking official of the Royal Dutch Football Association, Frank Paauw, the presidents of the territorial federations, and members of the RFEF Board of Directors.

The full Mestalla stadium provided the perfect backdrop for a fantastic football match, which, five months after the disaster, became both a symbol of reconstruction and hope for the future.