Mestalla building in 1923. Goats who lived in their outer nicknamed 'Chotos' is born. Photo: Kaiser Magazine
A practically all Spanish teams are known for one or several nicknames but most have a nickname that identifies. In the case of Valencia CF, one of the historic Spanish football team scoring and fourth in league history, we know by 'Ches', 'valencianistas’ and by….'chotos’. Nickname it born many decades ago by the fans of the other team in town, the Levante.
Chotos And Granotas
The reason is as simple as almost unknown outside the city of Turia. Apparently in the land where it was built Mestalla back in 1923, They were all fields and was populated only by herds of goats and sheep. Apparently there was also an old slaughterhouse. If we look at the Spanish dictionary word 'Choto’ We find the following definition: “Goat rearing from birth until it stops sucking.” So for levantinistas officially valencianista feud would become the 'Chotera’.
Thus he was born the nickname with some derisively but has already been established throughout the decades. Long after Valencia CF became the nickname of levantinistas, 'granotas’, frog in Valencia (that its first stage was close to the Turia River and filled with frogs), to convert disparagingly in 'toads’ and name the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia as the ‘Pond‘.
The rivalry between the two clubs and especially the two hobbies, as we see, comes from afar. As we discussed in other articles, There are several stories that demonstrate this pique between the two sides. The story of 'The cat and Palm’ O ‘Valencia CF's funeral’ are some of the most talked.
THE DERBY VALENCIANO
For many years the rivalry between the two teams in the city of Valencia was asleep because the Levante he was 40 years without stepping First Division. But nevertheless, with the turn of the century and coinciding with both economic growth and social and sports of granotas It has been increasing gradually.
This has not prevented, as it happens in other clubs in the same city, They have been several players who have worn the shirt of either team. One of them was Vicente Rodriguez, granota raised in the quarry made the leap to rival where he triumphed. President Levante, Pedro Villarroel, He was responsible for promoting the player placing a termination clause surprising for that time, as explained in this other article. His visit to Valencia to contest the Valencian derby is remembered for being the victim of one of the biggest blasts in the history of the Levantine hobby.
Things football rivalries are healthy while, peaceful and with a touch of humor, as in the case of chotos and granotas, They are up healthy.
They would be chotos (goats) or lambs (sheep) no chotos/calves (cow calf)