Author: Innovation Center

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Sevilla FC holds entrance exams for the intermediate-level football coaching qualification

The event served as the prelude to the new training programme, which will take place at the Estadio Jesús Navas facilities, where students will begin their preparation to obtain the Football Coaching qualification.

Throughout the day, applicants completed the various tests required for admission to the training programme, demonstrating their physical abilities and specific skills related to the practice of football.

With these entrance exams, Sevilla FC continues to strengthen its commitment to the education of future football professionals, offering a training pathway connected to the reality and professional environment of a football club.

The new academic year will begin shortly at the Estadio Jesús Navas, where students will undertake the programme corresponding to the Initial Cycle of the Intermediate-Level Football Coaching Qualification.

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Sevilla FC and Carlos V Education join forces to promote the education of international players

Moving to a new country involves an adaptation process for any player that goes far beyond the football pitch. Language, culture and the surrounding environment are also part of their experience as a footballer. For this reason, since the 2024/2025 season, Sevilla FC has maintained a partnership with Carlos V Education, a centre specialising in language teaching and international education programmes.

Through this partnership, Sevilla FC’s international players have the opportunity to take Spanish courses, adapted to their needs and their integration process in the city and at the club. Each season, between 10 and 15 international footballers attend classes at Carlos V Education to improve their language skills.

This training is also particularly relevant during the integration process of players arriving from other countries. Carlos V Education offers services including visa management and student support, as well as different Spanish language programmes at its headquarters in Seville.

Language training thus becomes another tool in the players’ adaptation process, helping them communicate in their daily lives and integrate both into the dressing room and their new surroundings.

Carlos V Education’s headquarters in Seville, located in Los Remedios, is also accredited by the Instituto Cervantes for teaching Spanish as a foreign language and offers Spanish programmes across different formats and levels.

This partnership reflects Sevilla FC’s commitment to the comprehensive education of its players, supporting them beyond the football pitch and providing tools that contribute to their personal, academic and professional development.

Sevilla FC and Carlos V Education continue working together to ensure that language also becomes a tool for integration and growth for footballers arriving in Nervión from different parts of the world.

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Yongin FC U17 completes an international training week with Sevilla FC

Yongin FC U17 enjoyed a week-long international training experience with Sevilla FC. From September 15 to 22, the South Korean delegation took part in the Players Academy programme, experiencing a comprehensive sporting and educational schedule in Seville.

During their stay, the players took part in morning training sessions alongside Sevilla FC Academy coaches, gaining first-hand insight into the club’s training methodology and the daily work of its youth teams.

The experience also included several friendly matches against Sevilla FC Juvenil C and Sevilla D, with the latter providing an opportunity to share the pitch with the international players involved in the High Performance Career Program.

Beyond training sessions and competition, the delegation also had the opportunity to enjoy one of the highlights of their stay in Seville: attending the match between Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona, experiencing professional football at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium.

An experience also for goalkeeper coaches.

The educational experience was not limited to the players. The two goalkeeper coaches accompanying the delegation also took advantage of their stay to complete an internship with Sevilla FC’s Goalkeeping Department.

Throughout these days, they gained first-hand insight into the specialised work carried out with the club’s academy goalkeepers, exchanged knowledge with the department’s coaches and observed different training sessions.

In this way, Yongin FC U17’s visit provided an international educational experience for both players and coaches, combining methodology, competition, knowledge exchange and an insight into Sevilla FC’s sporting structure.

A week in which football became a meeting point between South Korea and Seville, strengthening the international dimension of the club’s training programmes.

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The Master’s Degree in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting prepares for a new edition

The XI Master’s Degree in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting is already entering its final stage before the start of a new edition. The programme, promoted by the Sevilla FC Innovation Center together with Sports Data Campus and UCAM, continues to establish itself as a leading training programme for professionals seeking to specialise in the use of data and advanced analytics within the football industry.

This new edition will begin on 28 October 2026, offering participants training focused on the current needs of clubs and sporting departments. The programme is aimed at sporting directors, analysts, scouts, coaches, fitness coaches and sports managers, providing the necessary tools to interpret large volumes of information and turn them into valuable insights for decision-making.

Throughout the Master’s Degree, students will be able to deepen their knowledge in areas such as Big Data, advanced analytics, scouting, performance analysis, data visualisation and artificial intelligence applied to sport, while also gaining knowledge of tools such as R and Python. The programme also incorporates a practical approach that enables participants to apply the knowledge acquired to the different analysis and planning processes present in professional football.

The training programme is also part of a knowledge ecosystem whose main meeting point is the Sport Data Forum, an annual event held at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium that brings together professionals, experts, clubs and companies linked to Big Data, artificial intelligence and innovation applied to sport. In its 2026 edition, the event brought together numerous national and international speakers to share experiences, real-life cases and the main trends shaping the sector.

With the start of the XI edition drawing ever closer, there is still time to become part of a community of professionals specialising in the present and future of football analysis.

Registrations remain open. Don’t miss the opportunity to take the next step in your professional development and specialise in Big Data and advanced analytics applied to football scouting.

Find out all the information about the programme and reserve your place for the XI edition, here.

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Sevilla FC concludes the 9th and 10th editions of the Master’s Degree in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting

Sevilla FC brought the 9th and 10th editions of the Master’s Degree in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting to a close with two enriching days in which education, knowledge sharing and networking took centre stage.

The programme began on Wednesday at the José Ramón Cisneros Palacios Training Ground, where students enjoyed a guided tour of the club’s facilities, gaining first-hand insight into the daily operations of Sevilla FC’s renowned academy. The day concluded with students from the ninth and tenth editions of the master’s programme joining participants from the 3rd Sports Data Champion for a series of seven-a-side football matches, wearing the official Sevilla FC academy kits.

On Thursday, the closing ceremony moved to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium, where attendees began the day with a guided Sevilla FC Stadium Tour before the academic programme got underway. Jesús Olivera, Head of Data Analysis at Sevilla FC; Daniel del Valle, Analysis Department Coordinator; and David Sáez, CEO of Sports Data Campus, officially opened the event.

Following the opening, Jesús Olivera presented the challenge assigned to the students during the Hackathon 2.0, a practical case study in which participants were tasked with using data analysis to determine which national team was heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the strongest form. The winning team presented its project remotely, while the runners-up received official Sevilla FC gifts in recognition of their outstanding work.

After a networking break, which gave students, lecturers and industry professionals the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, David Sáez delivered a masterclass on personal branding, providing valuable advice and practical tools to help aspiring analysts build their professional careers within the football industry.

The programme of presentations concluded with Eduardo Valera, Data Analyst in Sporting Management – Sporting Innovation at Sevilla FC, who explained how analysts present their findings to the Sporting Directors. His session focused on the preparation of scouting reports and the key aspects that support effective decision-making within a professional football club.

The event concluded with one of its most memorable moments: the presentation of diplomas and graduation sashes to the students of the Master’s Degree in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting. The ceremony was led by José María Cruz Gallardo, Head of R&D&I at Sevilla FC, alongside David Sáez, CEO of Sports Data Campus, and Miguel Ángel del Barrio, Director of Programmes and Projects at Sports Data Campus, who congratulated the graduates on their achievements and wished them every success in their future careers.

With this closing ceremony, Sevilla FC once again reaffirms its commitment to innovation, specialised education and the development of talent in the field of football data analysis, further consolidating a programme that has become a benchmark for professionals across the industry.

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Sevilla FC Takes Part in LALIGA’s First Youth Academy Psychology Forum

Sevilla FC’s Psychology Department participated in the first Youth Academy Psychology Forum organized by LALIGA, held in Madrid on June 16 and 17. The initiative brought together more than 60 specialists from 38 professional football clubs with the aim of sharing experiences, methodologies, and intervention models focused on the holistic development of academy players.

Over the course of the two-day event, participants explored topics related to psychological periodization, player welfare and support, and the integration of psychology within youth academy structures. The forum highlighted the growing importance of sports psychology as a strategic tool for fostering both athletic performance and personal development among young footballers.

The event forms part of the second phase of LALIGA’s National Academy Plan, an initiative designed to further enhance the quality standards of youth development in Spanish professional football. Its objectives include strengthening player care departments, promoting mental health and safeguarding policies, preventing bullying, and supporting programs that help young athletes balance their academic and sporting commitments.

The forum also served to strengthen collaboration among psychology professionals from participating clubs, encouraging the ongoing exchange of knowledge, research, and best practices. LALIGA has also announced the creation of new collaboration and advisory spaces aimed at continuing the professionalization of psychology departments within youth academies.

Sevilla FC’s participation in the forum reinforces the club’s commitment to the comprehensive development of its academy players, recognizing psychological and emotional growth as essential components of the educational and sporting pathway of young athletes.

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Sevilla FC+ suma Sevilla FC Innovation Stories a su oferta de podcasts 

Sevilla FC+ estrena este martes ‘Sevilla Innovation Stories’, un nuevo pódcast centrado en el trabajo que desarrolla el Área de Innovación Deportiva del Sevilla FC. La serie mostrará el funcionamiento de este departamento, dedicado a la investigación y el desarrollo aplicado al fútbol, con especial atención al análisis de datos, la formación y los procesos de apoyo a la toma de decisiones deportivas.

Entre los temas que se abordarán figuran el análisis del rendimiento, la captación y evaluación de talento, el uso de herramientas tecnológicas y la evolución de diferentes perfiles profesionales dentro de la industria del fútbol. Los pódcast buscan acercar al público el trabajo que se realiza en esta área y ofrecer una visión más detallada de algunos de los procesos que forman parte de la estructura deportiva del club.

La primera temporada consta de seis episodios en los que participan profesionales vinculados al mundo del fútbol, muchos de ellos formados en el propio club. A través de entrevistas y conversaciones, los invitados explicarán distintos aspectos relacionados con la innovación deportiva y compartirán experiencias sobre su aplicación en entornos profesionales.

Múltiples protagonistas

La primera temporada de ‘Sevilla Innovation Stories’ se abre con Ramón Vázquez, quien repasa su trayectoria en el Sevilla FC desde la creación del departamento de análisis de cantera hasta su paso por el primer equipo y las dos UEFA Europa League conquistadas durante su etapa en el club. El segundo episodio recoge la historia de Taichi Wakabayashi, un analista japonés que pasó de descubrir al Sevilla FC como aficionado desde Japón a formar parte del cuerpo técnico del primer equipo, antes de incorporarse a la selección absoluta de su país. En el tercer capítulo, Ibon Landa, miembro del departamento de desarrollo tecnológico del Athletic Club, ofrece una comparación entre los modelos de trabajo de ambos clubes en ámbitos como el análisis de datos, la gestión deportiva y la inteligencia artificial aplicada al fútbol.

La segunda mitad de la temporada cuenta con la participación de Álvaro López, profesional formado en el entorno del análisis deportivo que actualmente desarrolla su carrera en el fútbol de Oriente Medio, donde aborda la importancia de la formación continua y la especialización. El quinto episodio reúne a Gonzalo Soto, José Luis del Valle y Juan Manuel González, quienes comparten su experiencia formativa dentro del departamento y su acercamiento al análisis, los datos y el scouting. La serie concluye con José María Cruz Gallardo, responsable del Área de Innovación Deportiva del Sevilla FC, quien repasa la creación, evolución y perspectivas de futuro de un departamento centrado en la gestión del conocimiento, la innovación y el uso de datos en el ámbito deportivo.

De esta forma, Sevilla FC+ suma en su primer año de vida ‘Sevilla Innovation Stories’ a su catálogo de pódcast, que ya incluye ‘Sólo el Sevilla’, ‘Contigo Sevilla’, ‘El Cubo’ y ‘La Cantera’, disponibles también en este formato. A ello se añaden ‘Lenguas Antiguas’, donde el Área de Historia del Sevilla FC repasa relatos, curiosidades y logros de la entidad a lo largo de sus más de 136 años, y el tradicional espacio cofrade ‘Gólgota’, que esta temporada ha incorporado igualmente el formato pódcast.

Además de en Sevilla FC+, el podcast estará disponible en las principales plataformas de audio, como Ivoox y Spotify.

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Sevilla FC strengthens its international outlook alongside the Polish Football Association

Last week, Sevilla FC’s Training Facilities welcomed a group of future academy directors currently undertaking their training programme with the PZPN (Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej), the Polish Football Association.

During their visit, the participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the club’s methodology, sporting structure, and holistic approach to talent development. They also shared experiences and knowledge with the professionals who form part of Sevilla FC’s academy ecosystem.

The club would like to express its sincere gratitude to the Polish Football Association for the trust placed in Sevilla FC and its staff to contribute to the development of their future sporting leaders. Initiatives such as these reinforce the club’s international outlook and strengthen the cooperative relationship between institutions committed to the growth of youth football.

Committed to knowledge exchange

At Sevilla FC, knowledge exchange is considered a key driver in the evolution of football development. For this reason, the club remains open to building strategic partnerships with federations, leagues, and clubs committed to excellence in education and talent development.

For more information about these initiatives and collaborations, please contact: [email protected]

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Sevilla FC Hosts the second transnational meeting of the European BIO-AGE 2.0 Project

A High-level technical and scientific meeting.

The first day began with a project status presentation and an online session on the BIO-BANDING Tournament, delivered by German partner Borussia Dortmund. This was followed by a central session led by the Polish Football Association (PZPN), consisting of both a presentation and a practical workshop under the title “Player-Centered Approach in the Polish Football Association Development System.” The session explored current challenges in youth football, differences between early and late maturation, and practical tools to help coaches manage maturational diversity within their squads.

The afternoon was especially significant for the host club. Sevilla FC presented its talk “Player Development at Sevilla FC: 26 Years of Experience and Evolution,” delivered by Julián Andrés Cabrera and Mercedes Valiente. The presentation highlighted the depth of Sevilla FC’s player development model and its ability to adapt to the various stages of individual and collective player growth. The day concluded with a visit to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium.

Second Day: Recommendations, behaviour models, and next steps.

The second day focused on consolidating the consortium’s collective work. Warta Poznań and Hannover 96 presented progress regarding the psychological aspects of developing players with different maturation rates. Afterwards, the consortium worked on recommendations and case studies for the practical guide aimed at coaches, one of the project’s key deliverables.

MSH Medical School Hamburg presented the application of the COM-B Model as a framework for identifying entry points for implementing biological maturation into daily football practice. The meeting concluded with a planning session covering upcoming tasks and timelines for the coming months, before participants visited Sevilla FC’s training facilities.

The role of the Innovation Center.

Hosting TPM2 in Seville further strengthens the role of Sevilla FC’s Innovation Center as a European hub for innovation in youth football development. The club not only participates as an active partner throughout all three project phases — methodology, implementation, and dissemination — but also contributes its own expertise accumulated over decades of player development work, backed by tangible results in professional football.

BIO-AGE 2.0 promotes a fairer and more inclusive talent identification and development model, in which biological maturation — rather than chronological age alone — guides decisions related to selection, training, and scouting. This approach naturally aligns with the philosophy of the Innovation Center: science-based innovation applied to real football environments.

The project will continue until 2028. The next transnational meeting will take place soon, according to the consortium’s agreed schedule.

More information about the project: bio-age.eu

Would your club or institution like to learn more about BIO-AGE 2.0 or explore potential collaborations with Sevilla FC’s Innovation Center? Contact us at [email protected]

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UCAM visits Sevilla FC to deepen the integral knowledge of the athlete

The Innovation Center of Sevilla FC recently received a visit from UCAM students, who participated in a training day held at the club’s facilities with the aim of bringing the reality of professional football closer to future specialists in performance and physical preparation.

During the visit, the students were able to learn firsthand about different work methodologies applied in the high-performance environment, as well as the processes linked to the preparation, monitoring, and readaptation of the athlete within a professional structure such as that of Sevilla FC.

The day was especially focused on the importance of continuing to understand the athlete beyond physical performance, addressing an integral vision of the player in which factors related to health, workload, recovery, and individualized development intervene.

In addition to touring different areas of the club, the students shared sessions with Sevilla FC professionals, generating a space for knowledge exchange and applied learning that reinforces the bond between the university and professional football.

With initiatives like this, the Sevilla FC Innovation Center continues to consolidate its commitment to innovation, specialized training, and the transfer of knowledge, offering academic experiences connected with the real needs of elite sports.

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El análisis en el fútbol profesional: una visión desde dentro del Sevilla Fútbol Club

En el marco del Máster en Big Data aplicado al scouting en fútbol, los profesionales del área de análisis del Sevilla Fútbol Club compartieron una sesión en la que trasladaron, desde una perspectiva práctica y real, cómo se estructura y evoluciona el trabajo de análisis dentro de un club de élite.

La charla permitió a los alumnos conocer no solo herramientas o metodologías, sino también el contexto organizativo, la evolución del rol del analista y la importancia estratégica del dato en el fútbol moderno.

Un departamento clave dentro de la estructura del club

El área de análisis se integra dentro del departamento de innovación deportiva, lo que refleja una idea fundamental: el análisis ya no es un complemento, sino una pieza estructural dentro de la toma de decisiones deportivas.

Desde esta posición, el equipo de análisis trabaja de forma transversal con diferentes áreas del club:

  • Dirección deportiva
  • Primer equipo
  • Cantera
  • Departamentos de rendimiento y desarrollo
  • Departamento médico.
  • Departamento financiero y recursos humano.
  • Departamento de comunicación. 
  • Área de datos.

Esta ubicación permite que el análisis no se limite al corto plazo (resultado inmediato), sino que tenga un impacto en el desarrollo del talento, la planificación deportiva y la optimización de recursos.

Perfiles multidisciplinares: la clave del éxito

Uno de los aspectos más destacados de la sesión fue la importancia de construir equipos con perfiles diversos. Lejos de un modelo único de analista, el departamento está formado por profesionales con distintas especializaciones:

  • Expertos en análisis táctico del juego
  • Especialistas en datos y programación
  • Profesionales del ámbito del rendimiento físico
  • Perfiles híbridos con conocimientos en varias áreas

Esta combinación permite generar una visión 360º del jugador y del juego, integrando lo que ocurre en el campo con lo que reflejan los datos.

El mensaje para los alumnos es claro: el futuro del sector pasa por la combinación de conocimiento futbolístico y capacidades analíticas, junto con una actitud constante de aprendizaje.

La evolución del análisis: de “figura desconocida” a pilar estratégico

Uno de los puntos más interesantes fue la reflexión sobre cómo ha evolucionado el rol del analista en los últimos años.

Hace no tanto tiempo, el analista era percibido como una figura externa, incluso con cierta desconfianza por parte de los cuerpos técnicos. Sin embargo, gracias al desarrollo de metodologías y herramientas, el análisis ha pasado a convertirse en un elemento fundamental dentro del ecosistema del fútbol.

Esta evolución se ha producido en varios niveles:

  • Tecnológico
    • De procesos manuales a automatización
    • Uso de herramientas como Power BI o lenguajes como Python
    • Implementación de sistemas de tracking automático
  • Metodológico
    • De informes estáticos a dashboards dinámicos
    • De datos aislados a modelos de análisis complejos
    • Creación de indicadores de rendimiento y sistemas de scoring
  • Organizativo
    • Integración del analista dentro de la estructura del club
    • Mayor interacción con múltiples departamentos
    • Participación en la toma de decisiones

El objetivo ya no es simplemente recolectar datos, sino transformarlos en información útil y accionable.

El dato como motor de decisión

Durante la sesión se hizo especial hincapié en una idea clave:


“El dato no es el fin, es el medio.”

El verdadero valor del análisis reside en la capacidad de convertir datos en conocimiento que impacte en:

  • La mejora del rendimiento individual y colectivo
  • La identificación y evaluación de talento
  • La toma de decisiones en scouting
  • La optimización de procesos internos
  • En la toma de decisión ejecutiva.

En este contexto, se destacó el desarrollo de herramientas como:

  • Modelos de scoring por posición
  • Sistemas de comparación entre jugadores y equipos
  • Bases de datos enriquecidas mediante procesos propios (ETL y minería de datos)

Además, la automatización de procesos permite liberar tiempo para que los analistas se centren en tareas de mayor valor añadido.

El día a día del analista: planificación y mejora continua

Otro de los puntos clave fue la explicación del trabajo diario dentro del departamento.

El proceso comienza en pretemporada, donde se definen los objetivos tanto operativos como estratégicos. A partir de ahí, el trabajo se desarrolla de forma estructurada durante toda la temporada:

  • Apoyo constante a los cuerpos técnicos
  • Análisis de partidos y jugadores
  • Elaboración de informes dinámicos
  • Revisión y mejora de procesos
  • Adaptación a cambios dentro del club

Este enfoque refleja una cultura de mejora continua, donde cada temporada se convierte en una oportunidad para evolucionar tanto a nivel individual como colectivo.

Salidas profesionales reales

Uno de los mensajes más motivadores para los alumnos fue la evidencia de que el camino hacia el fútbol profesional es posible.

Desde el propio departamento se destacó que:

  • Alumnos del máster han realizado prácticas en el club
  • Muchos de ellos han terminado trabajando en estructuras profesionales
  • Existen casos de éxito en clubes nacionales e internacionales

Esto refuerza la idea de que la formación especializada, combinada con experiencia práctica, puede convertirse en un auténtico trampolín hacia la industria del fútbol.

De la formación al fútbol profesional: el siguiente paso

La sesión dejó una idea clara: el fútbol actual ya no se entiende sin el análisis y el uso inteligente del dato.

El Máster en Big Data aplicado al scouting en fútbol se posiciona como una formación alineada con esta realidad, ofreciendo a los alumnos no solo conocimientos técnicos, sino también una conexión directa con el entorno profesional.

En un sector cada vez más competitivo, la combinación de formación, especialización y experiencia práctica marca la diferencia. Y este tipo de iniciativas acercan a los alumnos a ese objetivo: convertirse en profesionales del fútbol del presente y del futuro.

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César Azpilicueta highlights the importance of data and video analysis in modern football

César Azpilicueta began his career in the youth academy of Club Atlético Osasuna, making his debut at 17 years old in the Copa del Rey. Since then, he has witnessed a significant evolution in the use of data analysis, moving from basic tools to full monitoring of players and their performances.

For César, data is key for analyzing opponents, allowing teams to identify advantages that can be decisive in a match. He also combines this information with video analysis, focusing especially on players in their opponents’ zones. In his experience, data also helps corroborate performance after games or generate discussion in cases of conflicting opinions. The key is to find a balance between objective and subjective information, avoiding data overload.

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Azpilicueta has played in multiple positions and encourages his teammates to experiment in different areas, discovering new strengths. He himself started as a forward and, over time, has occupied roles such as right-back or center-back, both in three- and four-man defensive lines. Video analysis is essential for identifying the details that motivate these positional changes.

Finally, César emphasizes that the most important aspect of analysis is to provide context to the information, ensuring it is clear, concise, and progressive to properly measure development and the implementation of strategies.