Former Steeler, Army Cpt. Alejandro Villanueva hosts flag football event for US troops in Spain

MADRID — Former Pittsburgh Steeler Alejandro Villanueva helped entertain U.S. troops stationed abroad with a flag football tournament.

Presented by USAA, the event took place on Wednesday at Naval Station Rota, which is the largest American military community in Spain.

Joining Villanueva were former NFL players Ryan Tannehill and Joe Theismann. They served as coaches and presented the winning team with tickets to the upcoming NFL game in Madrid.

Villanueva is a retired U.S. Army captain and lived in Spain as a child. His father served as operation commander at Naval Station Rota for the Spanish Navy.

“I’m very excited about the game, and the fact that it is happening here in this country,” Villanueva said of the first-ever NFL game in Madrid. “A sport that was relatively not very known when I was growing up, and now to finally have (an NFL) game, it’s an incredible opportunity for Spain to learn about the United States, and for the United States to learn a little about Spain.”

Villanueva, Tannehill and Theismann also took a tour of the U.S. Navy destroyers station at the base.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group