Patience has been the greatest virtue of Deportivo Alavés. Las Gloriosas were relegated from the top flight in the 2022/2023 season, and the Vitoria-Gasteiz club decided to back Andrea Esteban to take the reins of the babazorro bench. The Aragonese coach retired as a player at just 23 years old after suffering several knee injuries and operations. After joining the technical staff of Valencia CF, she spent a year and a half as head coach of the first team, and in 2023, Dafne Triviño, the babazorro team's sporting director, called her to start the project in the Primera RFEF. The first season was not a good one, finishing the year in 9th position in the league table with 32 points, ten points off the promotion playoff spots to the Primera División.

Despite the team's poor season, Dafne Triviño decided to continue trusting the Aragonese coach, and Andrea Esteban responded more than adequately. Deportivo Alavés finished the first half of the 2024/2025 season as undefeated leaders, having only dropped three draws. The second half of the season was good, but not as brilliant as the first, and they finished in 2nd position with 56 points, the same as Alhama CF ElPozo, who had a better overall goal difference. After the disappointment of not achieving direct promotion, the Vitoria-Gasteiz side eventually fell in the playoff semi-finals against CP Cacereño, who won 4-3 on aggregate. The babazorro club had come so close, just a step away from promotion to the top flight.

April 4, 2026

The third time had to be the charm for the Vitoria-Gasteiz side, who maintained the project's structure. Las Gloriosas remained undefeated in the first seven matchdays and never dropped from the top positions in the league table. In the first half of the season, they suffered only one defeat, and in the second part of the season, Andrea Esteban's team continued at the same level as the first. This time, promotion was a matter of time. The big day was to be on matchday 23 at Mendizorroza. Valencia CF drew against FC Barcelona B (0-0), and Deportivo Alavés needed to beat CP Cacereño, but the duel ended in a draw (1-1). With nine points still to play for, the Vitoria-Gasteiz team only needed one, which they achieved in their victory against CE Europa (0-4).

“It has been the objective we had from the beginning. It hasn't been easy. We still need to believe it and celebrate it,” confessed an emotional Andrea Esteban, who looked back. “This is the reward for a project that started a long time ago. After what happened last year, it wasn't easy at all to improve the numbers. Collective work has led us to promotion to Liga F,” explained the coach, who is already looking ahead to the next two matches because “the team wants to finish with two victories.” The Deportivo Alavés squad received their well-deserved tribute at Mendizorroza before the men's team's match. In these last two matchdays, the Basque team will fight to be champions of the Primera RFEF. A leadership currently held by FC Barcelona B, with two more points.

Beyond individual performances, Deportivo Alavés's great season is built on the team. The Vitoria-Gasteiz side has proven to be a very solid team, with sixteen victories and only four defeats. Furthermore, they are the second-highest scoring team (42 goals) and the team with the fewest goals conceded (14). Goalkeeper Sofía Fuente has been fundamental between the posts, with 13 clean sheets, the most in the competition, and having conceded only thirteen goals in twenty-three matchdays. Meanwhile, goals have been well distributed, with Carmen Sobrón leading the scorers' chart with 7 goals. This is a squad with an average age of 24.6 years, and with only three players over twenty-six years old. A young group with a great future and now a brilliant present in Liga F Moeve.