West Ham United U21s v Atlético Sanluqueño
Pre-Season Match, Fairplay Golf & Spa Resort, Benalup-Casas Viejas, Friday 1 August 2025, 9.30am BST
West Ham United U21s will round off a week of intense warm-weather training with a friendly fixture against Spanish third-tier side Atlético Sanluqueño at the FairPlay Golf & Spa Resort in the Andalusian town of Benalup-Casas Viejas.
The match will mark the young Hammers’ sixth pre-season outing, all of which have come against senior opposition, capping off a demanding schedule that has combined early morning conditioning sessions with gym work and plenty of work on the pitch.
Tickets…
This match is a behind-closed-doors fixture and will therefore not be open to the public.
How To Follow…
A live blog will be available via the Club’s official website and app. A full match report and post-match reaction will follow shortly after the final whistle.
Opposition…
Based in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Cádiz, Atlético Sanluqueño have spent the past two seasons in the regionalised third tier of Spanish football, the Primera RFEF. The highest level the club has played at, Sanluqueño left their survival in the third tier to the final day in each of the last two seasons with narrow wins on matchday 38.
Since their 3-2 win away at Hércules on the final day of the 2024/25 season, Sanluqueño has since seen a major reshuffle, with several key players departing and no fewer than 13 new signings brought in.
As they prepare for a third straight season at this level, the Verdiblancos have lined up seven pre-season fixtures, the first of which comes against the Hammers on Friday morning.
Notable former players include Dani Güiza, La Liga’s top goalscorer in 2007/08 and a UEFA Euro 2008 winner with Spain, and former Manchester City winger Nolito, who began his career in Sanluqueño’s academy.
Player's Perspective…
Having captained the development side in five of their six pre-season fixtures so far, midfielder Tyron Akpata is raring to go after an intense week of work on and off the pitch.
“We’re really excited for the game, to be fair,” said Akpata. “I feel like it’ll be a great way to round off this camp.
“We’ve put in a lot of hard work. We were up really early the other day doing some conditioning, and it’s those little things people might not see that have really helped us.
“It should be a good match, great weather, the kind of game you want to play in. It’s an early kick-off, but we’re feeling ready.
“Our last couple of results have been strong against really experienced sides. It’s been tough playing senior teams, but it’s the kind of challenge we want, especially for those in the team looking to go out on loan. Personally, I like testing myself against that level of opposition.
“We’re coming off a win at Boreham Wood, so we’re in a good place going into Friday. It’s another senior side, so it’s great preparation before the National League Cup and EFL Trophy. You have to be smart, it’s not just about technical ability, it’s about the dark arts, pace and power. That’s something Robbo (lead coach Mark Robson) always talks to us about, and we’re excited to show what we can do.”
The Story So Far…
West Ham United U21s have so far played five pre-season fixtures against senior opposition: three National League South sides tipped for promotion in Worthing, Ebbsfleet United and Maidenhead United, and, most recently, a goalless draw against League One Northampton Town and a 2-1 win over National League Boreham Wood.
Elsewhere, seven of Robson’s young Hammers were involved in the first team’s pre-season trip to Germany (Mohamadou Kanté, Finlay Herrick, Lanre Awesu, Ezra Mayers, Emeka Adiele, Preston Fearon and Airidas Golambeckis).
Joining Academy graduates Ollie Scarles, Kaelan Casey, George Earthy, Lewis Orford, Callum Marshall and Freddie Potts, development squad players Kanté, Herrick, Awesu, Fearon and Golambeckis have linked up with Graham Potter and the first-team once again for their pre-season tour of the United States for the Premier League Summer Series, with Fearon being rewarded for his hard work and undoubted talent by being given an opportunity to play against Manchester United in front of around 40,000 supporters at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday.