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Interviews

VIE 31.03.2023 | Interviews

All in on El Submarino Amarillo

Like many children in the United States, Matt Litt played soccer growing up. Then like many children in the U.S., he shifted his focus to American football.

Interviews

VIE 31.03.2023

Like many children in the United States, Matt Litt played soccer growing up. Then like many children in the U.S., he shifted his focus to American football. But lacking a timely growth spurt for potential success on the gridiron, Litt rediscovered soccer in high school and still continues to play in men’s and co-ed leagues to this day.

Not only did he fall back in love with the beautiful game, but he began following European clubs and leagues more, specifically Manchester United because they were typically featured in the lone Premier League match on TV each Saturday.

Today, soccer is more accessible to watch and play in the United States than ever, which opened up new avenues of involvement and fandom for Litt and his family in Lincoln, Nebraska.

A father of six with another baby on the way, Litt is fully invested in Villarreal. Four of his children play on teams for the Villarreal Nebraska Academy with Litt serving as coach. He coaches a U11 boys team, U9 girls, U7 boys and recently began coordinating for the academy’s U7-8 Yellows Program.

“With four of our kids playing, a parent’s going to be there one way or the other and I love soccer and coaching, so it works out for our family really well,” Litt says. “Our club director is very excited for this new baby because that means I’ll oversee the Yellows Program for the next eight years.”

Opened in 2018, the Villarreal Nebraska Academy is the first official academy in the United States to team up with the 2020-21 Europa League winners affectionately known as El Submarino Amarillo.

Litt, who says his family is excited to hopefully go to Spain and visit Estadio De La Ceramica in the near future, is thankful for the hands-on investment of Villarreal at the Nebraska academy, not only appreciating what the club offers to him and his players as a coach, but also as a father.

“To be able to have a resource like what Villarreal is providing is hugely important because I feel I can give so much to the kids in the program,” he says. “For the kids to have a pathway to an international club is really unheard of here in the middle of the country. And as a dad, it’s cool to know if my kids want to continue to pursue something like this, there’s an opportunity there. 

“I’ve been very thankful for our local leadership as well as the whole team at Villarreal over in Spain for this investment.”

FULL SERIES:

Galician Roots in Brooklyn

Finding a Family Abroad

A LaLiga Love Story

A Divided Household

The Unexpected Fan

A Home Away from Home

An Atlético Legacy

The Real Madrid Collector 

Converted By Andalusia

It’s Been Too Long

The Return of the Underdogs

Love at First Sight

Building a Community in LA 

The President

A Family Tradition

A Breakaway from Household Support

The Rebellious Fan

The Golden Era

Mes Que Un Club 

The Bucket List

All in the Family

An Unforgettable Honeymoon

Real’s remontadas roped in this fan

Unexpected Encounter Leads to Unforgettable Experience

Més Que Una Penya

Sevilla Fandom Comes Full Circle

UD Almería unites community in New Jersey

Basque Roots Grow in Meaning for Boise Student

Local peña helps Celta Vigo fans overcome morriña

Betis is in Berro’s Blood

San Diego, the Birthplace of the first Cádiz Peña in the U.S.

Fate, luck and curiosity brought this fan to Atleti

Real Sociedad fandom blossoming in Boise

Growing up in awe of Sánchez, Real Madrid

Ortegas proudly promote Real Betis around the globe

¡Vamos mi Sevilla! ¡Vamos Nueva York!

Mexico’s Márquez Converted This Culé

Covid can’t stop this Valencia CF socio

Living near the Bernabéu led to this fan loving Real Madrid

How a U.S. Elementary School Principal Helped Save Real Oviedo

Growing the Beautiful Game in Montreal and Beyond

Uruguay’s Forlán Helped This Fan Fall in Love With Atleti

Ready to stick with RCD Mallorca through thick and thin

Behind this Barça Fan’s Pregame Ritual

A Fan’s Growing Barça Obsession in Toronto

Villarreal Academy Creates New Fans in Nebraska

Zamorano, Casillas Led this Fan to Real Madrid

All in on El Submarino Amarillo

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