UE Santa Coloma

UE Santa Coloma
Full nameUnió Esportiva Santa Coloma
Nickname(s)UE
Esquirols (Squirrels)
Groc-i-negres (Yellow and Black)
Founded1986 (1986)
GroundAndorra Football Federation stadiums
ChairmanJoan Antoni Antón
ManagerBoris Antón
LeaguePrimera Divisió
2024–25Primera Divisió, 4th of 10
Websitewww.uesantacoloma.com

Unió Esportiva Santa Coloma, also known as UE Santa Coloma, is an Andorran professional football club based in the village of Santa Coloma, Andorra la Vella. The club currently plays in Primera Divisió.

History

UE Santa Coloma was founded on 23 September 1986 in the village of Santa Coloma. In 1996 the club established a football academy to give a qualitative leap in the field of sports in the country. During few seasons the club acted as farm team for many Andorran teams including FC Santa Coloma. The first football department team was refounded, after being inactive many years, in 2006 by joining the Andorran football league Segona Divisió the following year.[1]

The team plays in the Primera Divisió after winning the Segona Divisió in the 2007–08 season. The club made its first appearance in European competition in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League after finishing second in the league in the 2009–10 season.

In 2013 the team won his first trophy in the Copa Constitució after defeating 3–2 Sant Julià in the average time.[2] Three years later UE Santa Coloma was crowned again as Andorran's Cup winner after defeating 3-0 UE Engordany in 2016.[3]

On 16 July 2024, the club earned their first win in European competition by beating Ballkani from Kosovo in the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League. On 14 August 2024, after losing their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie against FK RFS, they qualified for the play-off round of UEFA Conference League so they became the first ever Andorran side to reach the play-off stage of a UEFA club competition.

Colours and badge

Yellow has been the traditional UE Santa Coloma color. Manly of the home kits alternate yellow and black. Even then in its beginnings the club dressed up the colors of the parish of Andorra la Vella, green and navy, and occasionally wearing an orange kit during some seasons.[4]

Until 2013 the badge was representing Santa Coloma's pre-romanical church tower and the most traditional team icon, the squirrel. The nowadays crest still represent the icons of UE Santa Coloma, featuring the club colours (yellow and black) and the year of foundation (1986).

The club have an alternative badge (main crest during the first leg of the 2013–14 season) representing the Santa Coloma's squirrel and the colours of the Andorran nation with the motto's country "Virtus Unita Fortior".

Original first kit.
2013–14 home kit.
2014–16 home kit.
Period * Kitmaker Kit sponsor
2007–12 Joma Escale
2012–18 Seguretat Sepir
2014–18 Luanvi
2018–present Joma None

* Since the Andorra Football Federation affiliation.

Support

The club's nickname, as seen from the crest, is Esquirols (Squirrels) due to the number of the animals that live around the town of Santa Coloma. There is a long-standing tradition for a number of fans to wear squirrel costumes at the club's last home game of each season.

Club rivalries

El Derbi Colomenc

The local rival of UE Santa Coloma is actually their neighbour's hometown football team FC Santa Coloma. The rivalry between these two teams has increased since the 2009/10 season when those teams were competing for winning the Premier Andorran League.[5]

Honours

League history

Season Division Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P
2007–08 Segona Divisió 1 16 14 2 0 66 11 44
2008–09 Primera Divisió 5 20 12 3 5 65 31 39
2009–10 Primera Divisió 2 20 13 4 3 50 26 43
2010–11 Primera Divisió 4 20 10 0 10 54 27 30
2011–12 Primera Divisió 3 20 10 7 3 61 20 37
2012–13 Primera Divisió 3 20 11 4 5 47 25 37
2013–14 Primera Divisió 2 20 12 3 5 40 24 39
2014–15 Primera Divisió 3 20 12 2 6 33 17 38
2015–16 Primera Divisió 4 20 8 6 6 34 20 30
2016–17 Primera Divisió 3 27 14 6 7 62 34 48
2017–18 Primera Divisió 5 27 12 5 10 53 29 41
2018–19 Primera Divisió 6 27 8 8 11 33 32 32
2019–20 Primera Divisió 5 24 11 6 7 34 26 39
2020–21 Primera Divisió 6 20 9 3 8 44 27 30
2021–22 Primera Divisió 2 27 13 8 6 37 26 47
2022–23 Primera Divisió 4 28 10 12 6 40 29 42

European results

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Agg.
2010–11 2010–11 UEFA Europa League 1QR Mogren 0–3 0-2 0–5
2011–12 2011–12 UEFA Europa League 1QR Paks 0–1 0-4 0–5
2012–13 2012–13 UEFA Europa League 1QR Twente 0–3 0-6 0–9
2013–14 2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1QR Zrinjski Mostar 1–3 0-1 1–4
2014–15 2014–15 UEFA Europa League 1QR Metalurg Skopje 0–3 0-2 0–5
2016–17 2016–17 UEFA Europa League 1QR Lokomotiva Zagreb 1-3 1–4 2–7
2017–18 2017–18 UEFA Europa League 1QR Osijek 0-2 0–4 0–6
2022-23 2022-23 UEFA Conference League 1QR Breiðablik 0-1 1–4 1–5
2024-25 2024–25 UEFA Champions League 1QR Ballkani 1-2 2–1 (a.e.t.) 3–3 (6-5 p)
2QR Midtjylland 0-3 0–1 0–4
2024–25 UEFA Europa League 3QR RFS 0-2 0–7 0–9
2024–25 UEFA Conference League PO Víkingur Reykjavík 0-0 0–5 0–5
Notes
  • PR: Preliminary round
  • QR: Qualifying round
  • 1QR: First qualifying round
  • 2QR: Second qualifying round
  • 3QR: Third qualifying round
  • PO: Playoff round

Current squad

As of 1 March 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ESP Juanpe Navarro
2 DF  AND Jesús Rubio
3 DF  ESP Marcos Blasco
4 DF  AND Christian García
5 MF  ESP Miguel López
6 MF  ESP Youssef El Ghazoui
7 FW  ESP Jorge Bolívar
9 FW  AND Cucu
10 MF  ESP Pablo Molina
11 FW  ESP Joaquinete
13 GK  ESP Álex Ruiz
14 DF  POR Luca Pereira
15 DF  ESP Ekaitz Jiménez
16 MF  AND Àlex Martínez
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF  AND Dacu
18 DF  ESP Jorge Valín
19 MF  MEX José Plascencia
20 DF  ESP Eric Ruiz
21 DF  ESP Roberto Corral
22 FW  ESP Elliot Gómez
23 FW  AND Iván Fernández
24 MF  ESP Marc Castells
27 MF  ESP Bilal El Bakkali
29 DF  MEX Pablo Jáquez
32 FW  JOR Jaime Siaj
33 FW  ESP David Martín
DF  BUL Slavi Kosov
FW  GUI Lass Bangoura

References

  1. ^ "UE Santa Coloma » Historia".
  2. ^ "FAF - l'UE Santa Coloma es proclama campió de la Copa Constitució 2013".
  3. ^ "FAF - l'UE Santa Coloma, campió de la Copa Constitució 2016 (3-0)".
  4. ^ "L'escut i els colors | U.E. Santa Coloma". www.uesantacoloma.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-21.
  5. ^ "BonDia Diari digital d'Andorra".