Rodri, Baena and Yeremy Pino one step from Villarreal history at the World Cup | OneFootball

In 1997 Fernando Roig and José Manuel Llaneza set out to build a youth system at Villarreal to feed the first team. Nearly 30 years on, three academy graduates are within sight of World Cup glory.

El Periódico Mediterráneo notes that, for the first time in the club’s history, Rodri, Álex Baena and Yeremy Pino have the chance to lift the World Cup.

Rodrigo Hernández, born 22 June 1996 and the 2024 Ballon d’Or, is back to his best after a serious knee injury and starred against France. He arrived in Vila-real in 2013 for Roda’s Juvenil A, commuting from Castellón and cycling 3.3 kilometres to Miralcamp, debuted in 2016, joined Atlético Madrid in 2018 for 20 million and is already a Manchester City legend.

Álex Baena, born 20 July 2001, arrived from Roquetas de Mar at a young age and rose through the ranks to win the Europa League aged 20. After a loan at Girona in Segunda, he became a team leader from 2022 to 2025, signed for Atlético Madrid last summer for 42 million plus 13 in add-ons, and at this World Cup has earned a starting role, impressing against France.

Yeremy Pino, born 20 October 2002, joined in 2017 for Cadete A and four years later, at 18, started the Europa League final against Manchester United. After five seasons in the first team he moved to Crystal Palace last summer for 30 million, and he has played at this World Cup against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo