Yua’s Story: Another Success Story from A Canteira Experience

When Yua arrived in Vigo from Japan as a young youth footballer, he came with one clear goal: to grow as a player in a top-level environment. Through the A Canteira Experience program, formerly known as Celta Academy, he found the opportunity to develop his talent under Celta’s methodology while also growing as a person beyond football, embracing the chance to experience a culture very different from his own.

Several years later, his story, like that of his teammate Joseph, has become one of the best examples of what A Canteira Experience represents. When he first arrived in Vigo, the Japanese footballer spoke only his native language. Today, he can be heard speaking with his teammates in both Spanish and Galician. He has successfully completed his high school education at Los Sauces School, balancing the demands of his studies with his sporting development, and this summer he will take another important step in his journey by joining Celta’s Under-19 A team for pre-season.

Since arriving in Galicia, thanks to the strategic partnership between Celta and Wakatake Group, Yua has gone through a continuous process of adaptation, both on and off the pitch. Having been integrated into the club’s youth development structure from an early age, he has progressed by following Celta’s training methodology while receiving a high-quality academic education that has enabled him to complete a key stage in his personal and educational development.

“I was born very far from here, in a completely different culture. At first, it wasn’t easy, but Celta welcomed me as one of their own. What started as an adventure has become part of my life,” Yua explained to the club’s official media.

His journey reflects the true essence of A Canteira Experience: providing young international footballers with an environment where sporting development and personal growth go hand in hand. The program allows players to train under the club’s official methodology, compete in a high-performance environment, and combine their football education with academic studies tailored to their needs through partnerships with educational institutions such as Los Sauces School.

Yua’s story shows that A Canteira Experience not only helps develop better footballers, but also prepares young people for the future through a well-rounded education. His journey—from the young Japanese boy who arrived in Vigo eager to learn to a player continuing to grow within Celta’s academy while successfully completing his academic education—perfectly embodies the purpose of the program.