From November 3 to 6, instructors from the UAF Football Education and Leadership Center are undergoing training in Spain, where they familiarize themselves with the local coaching preparation system and educational tools that can be used to develop coaching education in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian delegation includes experts who directly train coaches at all levels — from Category C diplomas to UEFA PRO licenses.

The training visit takes place at the headquarters of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. Over four days, Ukrainian experts familiarize themselves with the organization of coaching education in Spain, the work of the RFEF Academy, player preparation for national teams, and the system of conducting football matches.

The first day of training on November 3 was dedicated to the structure of the RFEF Academy and the system of continuous coaching education. The session was led by David Gutierrez, director of Spain's National Coaching School. He spoke about approaches to training experts and the principles upon which player preparation in the country is based.

"We don't have a magic wand that allows us to become world or European champions. If there were any secret, everyone would be using it. Instead, we have a work plan that we've been developing for many years. At its core is the player, and the main priority is his development," — explained David Gutierrez.

A separate session was dedicated to the digital educational platform of RFEF. Guillermo Fernandez, responsible for the technological direction, demonstrated tools and training resources that the Spanish federation uses to prepare coaches.

The Ukrainian delegation also met with RFEF's technical development director Aitor Karanka. The former Real Madrid player and Jose Mourinho’s assistant spoke about the organization of work for Spain's national teams and their main areas of development.

The program for the following days covers other components of Spain's football system as well. For example, on November 4 participants studied the structure of RFEF competitions, approaches to searching and selecting talented players, as well as specifics of working with physical preparation coaches. The last topic included not only theoretical lessons but also practical work on a football field.

On November 5–6, sessions are planned on the organization of UEFA coaching courses, goalkeeper preparation, and the structure and work of the national teams department.

For the Ukrainian Football Association, this visit has primarily practical significance. Instructors from the UAF Football Education and Leadership Center who are currently training in Spain will later work with coaches of Ukrainian clubs, academies, and children's-youth teams. Therefore, familiarizing themselves with RFEF methods allows them to assess which approaches and tools should be adapted for Ukrainian educational programs.

Of particular interest are the organization of coaching courses, the use of digital technologies in education, training methods for physical preparation, and principles of developing young players. These areas are what instructors from the UAF Football Education and Leadership Center regularly work on during the training of Ukrainian coaches.

Training in Spain is part of the systematic work of the UAF to improve the qualifications of Ukrainian coaches and instructors. Previously, within the framework of cooperation with Manchester City, Ukrainian experts underwent internships at the English club's academy, where they studied player preparation methods and training process organization. Now this experience is being supplemented by familiarity with the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s coaching education system. The knowledge gained will help improve coach training programs in Ukraine.