The City Council of València officially announced today its proposal for the City’s Honors and Distinctions 2026 as part of the 9 d'Octubre commemoration. Among the recognitions approved by the municipal corporation, the posthumous awarding of the title of Favorite Son to José Ballester Gozalvo stands out. He was the founder and first president of Levante FC — the origin of the current Levante UD — as well as a lawyer, educator, writer, and politician of significant importance in Valencian history.

The mayor of València, María José Catalá, will preside over the solemn award ceremony next Tuesday, October 6, in the Municipal Hemicycle, where José Alejandro Remohí Giménez, founder of IVI, and athlete Fátima Diame will also be recognized as Favorite Sons.

This award coincides with the recent launch by Levante UD and Macron of the club’s fourth official kit. This commemorative navy blue outfit, inspired by the tiles of the Cabanyal neighborhood and the Mediterranean Sea, pays tribute to the figure of Ballester Gozalvo and his wife, Teresa Molins Gausach, marking one year since the return of their remains from exile.

Pioneer and architect of Valencian football

José Ballester Gozalvo represents a fundamental figure in understanding the structuring of football in the city. On September 7, 1909, the press of the time placed Ballester at the head of the first board of directors of Levante FC. Together with his brothers, he promoted the drafting of the statutes that gave legal structure to the entity. In addition to presiding and legislating in the offices, he also served as a player (equipier) and referee, actively participating in the foundation of the first Regional Football Federation and in the development of the first organized championship in the city.

The return home: from exile in France to rest in Cabanyal

The recognition as Favorite Son culminates a journey of collective memory decisively driven by Levante UD. In April 2024, the club began arrangements with the relatives of Ballester and Molins to fulfill the couple’s last wish: to return to their homeland after decades in exile.

The process was completed with a delegation from the club traveling to Villiers-Adam, near Paris, to exhume their remains. The project, which was financially supported by the Diputación de València, culminated in a massive event at the Llotja VIP L'Alqueria of the Ciutat de València Stadium, which brought together institutional, cultural, and sports representatives, as well as family members, including the City Council of València’s Councilor for Culture, José Luis Moreno, who officially informed the club of the news.

After the institutional tribute at the Orriols stadium, the remains of José Ballester Gozalvo and Teresa Molins were privately buried in the Cabanyal cemetery, alongside his parents, closing a historical wound and returning to the coastal neighborhood that saw his birth the man who was the first great architect of Levante’s sport.