Levante UDLevante UD is a club with two beginnings. In September 1909 two separate sides were founded in Valencia: Levante Football Club, created in the city's maritime districts and named after the east (levante) and the Levante beach in La Malvarrosa, where it played some of its earliest matches, and Gimnástico Football Club, which first played at the Patronato de la Juventud Obrera. The two merged in 1939, and the present club traces its origins to 1909 through both. This makes Levante older than its better-known neighbour, Valencia CF, although it has spent much of its history in that neighbour's shadow.
Much of the club's identity comes from the Gimnástico side. From it Levante inherited the nickname Granotes, the Frogs, and the blue and garnet colours, which had been introduced by a Catalan Jesuit, Narcís Basté, in imitation of those of FC Barcelona. The merger was a practical one: Gimnástico had a ground, the Estadio de Vallejo, but had lost most of its players.
The most unusual item in the club's history is the Copa de la España Libre of 1937. During the Spanish Civil War, Levante and Gimnástico played in the Mediterranean League, finishing fifth and sixth respectively. Teams from that league also entered the Copa de la España Libre (the "Free Spain Cup"). FC Barcelona opted to tour Mexico and the United States instead, and Levante took part in their place. The first round was a mini-league, from which Levante and Valencia CF reached the final. Levante won the competition, and in 2023 the Spanish federation officially recognised the 1937 trophy.
After the Civil War the club spent decades mostly outside the top flight. It played two seasons in La Liga in the 1960s, and in that period it beat FC Barcelona 5–1. It later dropped as low as the fourth tier, and in 1981 Johan Cruyff played ten games for it. Levante returned to the top division in 2004. In the same year it beat Barcelona 1–0 in the first leg of a Copa del Rey tie, although it lost the second leg 3–1.
The club's best period came under coach Juan Ignacio Martínez. In 2011–12 Levante achieved the best league finish in its history, which took it into European competition for the first time. In 2012–13 it began in the Europa League play-off round, beating Motherwell 3–0 on aggregate, and was drawn in Group L with Hannover 96, Twente and Helsingborg. It finished second behind Hannover, helped by a 3–0 home win over Twente and a 3–1 win at Helsingborg, and drew 2–2 with Hannover on the final matchday. In the round of 32 Levante eliminated the Greek champions Olympiacos, winning 3–0 at home and 1–0 away. The run ended in the round of 16 against Rubin Kazan: a 0–0 draw at home was followed by a 0–2 defeat in Russia.
Levante play at the Estadi Ciutat de València, opened in 1969 and with a capacity of 26,354. It is a ground with a modest scale and a compact, close-to-the-pitch atmosphere, which suits a club that built its reputation on frequent returns from lower divisions rather than on large budgets. Today Levante compete in La Liga, and their story, of a merger, a wartime cup and a short but memorable European campaign, remains the main source of the club's pride.