Participants can stroll through the heart of Elche to explore a century of football history at a walking tour that doubles as a photo exhibition. The show shares the stories behind each image, inviting visitors to reflect on the club’s milestones as they move between symbolic sites where victories and promotions are celebrated, including Corredera and Plaça de Baix.
The event took shape with the active involvement of the Miguel Hernández University UMH, led by its president Pere Ibarra, alongside support from the City Council, Caixabank, and TM Real Estate Group, the principal sponsor of the Elche club. The centerpiece is an exhibition titled “100 Years of Franjiverde Feeling,” featuring 450 photographs, many of them never before published, displayed on large three-sided murals that make a striking visual impact along the route.
Photo murals line the streets, creating a living gallery that invites passersby to pause and study the moments that shaped Elche FC. The project also benefits from collaborative participation with roughly thirty shops in the city center. Visitors can see photographs, magazines, and artifacts such as boots, suitcases, and old newspapers that document key moments in Elche’s history, offering a tangible sense of the club’s long journey.
The curators directing the project are UMH professor Miguel Ors and the director of the Pere Ibarra Chair, along with Antonio J. Pamies, a longtime collaborator with the Elche club for compiling statistical data, documents, and player and coach lists. They worked with Pere Ibarra Chair students on a comprehensive research and image compilation effort designed to illuminate the centennial season. The long-anticipated project finally came to life with its opening yesterday, turning a dream into a vivid, public reality.
Passion for the green ribbon was on full display at the Elche Centennial Gala, a highlight of the event for fans and residents alike. The exhibition features photographs spanning from the club’s founding in the 1920s to the present day. The curators note that the most current season is intentionally not included, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in history without overshadowing it with the ongoing campaign.
The collection pays tribute to more than a thousand players and over a hundred coaches who have been part of the Franjiverde journey, paying homage to the fans and the many passersby who have supported the club over the decades. The show includes many of the club’s most cherished moments, from the 1969 Cup final to successive promotions, the Deportivo Ilicitano era in the Second Division, and the long stretch of 24 campaigns in the First Division. It is presented as a chronological panorama of the club’s history from its earliest days to the modern era.
One mural focuses on the republican years, with detailed descriptions provided by researchers on site. The opening night brought together many past stars of Elche FC, including J and other notable figures such as Juan Carlos Lezcano and Pepe Díez Guilabert, as well as more recent heroes like Edu Albacar and Sergio Mantecón, who currently serves as sports director for the Franjiverde Foundation. The city’s leadership also attended; the mayor, Carlos González, served as master of ceremonies, assisted by the Sports Councillor, Vicente Alberola, whose involvement helped bring the exhibition to life for the public.
Miguel Ors offered in-depth explanations of the details behind each panel, guiding attendees through the visual narrative of Elche’s century-long story. The exhibition is open and accessible to all fans and members of the general public who wish to learn about Elche’s hundred-year history through compelling imagery and carefully curated archival materials.