Emotional education and football: a project that is already a reality
At INEEW we firmly believe that emotional development is not exclusive to the classroom. That is why we are involved in the development of emotional competencies through pioneering projects in different areas. On this occasion, sport, and in particular football, offers a privileged context to work on emotional competences in an experiential, close and transforming way.
This conviction led us, a year ago, to start an exciting journey together with the Eleven Foundation, driven by Alexia Putellas, with the aim of integrating emotional education in women's football academies.
Marta Bisquerra from INEEW and Alexia Putellas from ELEVEN foundation
A first step: training the technical staff
The starting point was clear: before reaching out to the players, we needed to work with the technical and educational staff. Over the past year, we conducted several experiential training sessions, where the coordination team, team managers and other key figures were able to experience first-hand what it means to develop emotional awareness, regulation and autonomy, and how these, along with other competencies, directly impact performance, coexistence and well-being.
These formations laid the foundations for a shared outlook, which recognises the value of emotions on and off the field.
Designing your own methodology
With this lived and shared experience, in recent months we have been working on the development of a structured methodology for emotional intervention in football. This approach translates into incorporating the development of emotional competencies in every training session, from the moment the players arrive on the pitch until they leave.
Some of the techniques included in the methodology:
- Specific activities according to the emotional competence to be worked on
- Key moments in training or match where to intervene
- Language and dynamics adapted to the age and characteristics of the players.
- Spaces for individual and group reflection
Where do we stand?
We are currently in the production and practical validation phase. We are fine-tuning the materials through a dedicated digital campus, to ensure that each proposal is meaningful, useful and easy to apply.
During the first half of 2025 we have started with the first pilot implementations within the Eleven academy, collecting real-time feedback and fine-tuning every detail.
Today we have already been able to gather concerns, observe the daily reality of training and detect key moments where the emotional dimension appears strongly: an unexpected substitution, a difficult defeat, a conflict in the dressing room, or even pressure from the environment.
The project is already arousing a lot of interest and enthusiasm among those who are watching it grow from the inside. Emotional education is proving to be a strategic ally in training football, not only to improve sporting performance, but also to strengthen self-esteem, teamwork and pressure management.
A project with a long-term vocation
What started with a one-off training has become a transformative process with enormous potential. At INEEW we know that sowing emotional competencies today is investing in more prepared, resilient and aware people tomorrow. And doing so through football is, without a doubt, a powerful and exciting way to do so.
We continue to move forward with commitment, listening and long-term vision. This is only the beginning.
Educación Emocional en el Fútbol con Alexia Putellas