Real Sociedad Achieving On The Soccer Field And In The Classroom

When you think of what soccer stars do in their free time, the images that come to mind tend to be of luxurious cars, trendy events, and parties packed with famous faces. But if you look at the stars of Real Sociedad, based on in the beautiful city of San Sebastián on the north coast of Spain, you couldn’t be further from the truth.

The club secured qualification for the UEFA
EFA
Champions League for the first time in 10 years on Sunday, despite losing 2-1 in a hardfought battle with Atlético Madrid, but as soon as the celebrations had died down, attentions were turned back to the training pitch, and the classroom.

That’s because of the club’s approach to education, which has seen a total of 57 players through the ranks enrolled in educational programs. If you travel to Zubieta, the club’s training grounds in the mountains, it’s a common sight to see young players still kitted out in their training gear on the five-minute walk to the Landaberri School which is just next to the club’s base.

There, 43 students are currently enrolled in high-school classes as they seek to obtain their ESO and Bachillerato qualifications to get them the skills and certifications necessary whether they make it to Real Sociedad’s first team or choose an alternate career.

“When we have to study during training, we have an hour with classrooms and teachers in case there is something we didn’t understand in high school,” one youth player told Spanish media outlet Relevo.

The good news is that the strategy is working. No player has dropped out of school due to their soccer commitments. Whether players progress to the next level or not, it gives them an option for if they don’t.

In the incredibly competitive market for young Basque talent, it gives Real Sociedad a boost. Neighbours and rivals Athletic Club only sign talents developed in the region and has traditionally given them an edge when offering a route to the first team. This strategy from La Real is helping them to fight back, and also generate an important source of income when Athletic seek to poach some of their top talents.

Education for all

Education doesn’t stop with the youth players, though. Three current first team players have already graduated from college, while another three are currently studying.

When captain Asier Illarramendi isn’t crunching into tackles, he’s been studying for a degree in Early Childhood Education. He inspired 21-year-old winger Ander Barrenetxea to take up the same course too.

When vice-captain Mikel Oyarzabal was sidelined by a serious knee injury, he was able to take advantage to complete a degree in Business Administration and Management which Jon Pacheco is also studying.

More in his professional field, Aihen Muñoz completed a degree in Physical Activity and Health Sciences, one that Martín Zubimendi is currently working on.

“When I was still studying, I trained in the morning and had class in the afternoon,” explains 25-year-old midfielder Ander Guevara, who has now qualified to practice law, as he spoke to Relevo. “I didn’t have the same schedule every day, but I used to go in the afternoon. In law they usually say that it’s not so necessary to go to class, but I preferred to attend in order to learn better. It helped me not to get carried away and lose track.”

That extends to the women’s team too, with Nerea Eizagirre studying to ebcome a teacher and Maddi Torre in the fifth year of a medicine degree.

It’s a philosophy which is spreading throughout the club and encouraging all of its soccer players to engage with educational courses and studies to provide them with the qualifications they need for a career off the field beyond their time in soccer.

Success on the field

By attracting the best talent, it’s paying off for Real Sociedad. A fourth-placed finish this season is only the second time this century that they have ended a campaign in the top four of LaLiga, the top flight of Spanish soccer.

In 2020, they won the Copa del Rey title, their first since 1987. Under coach Imanol Alguacil, who hails from the local area and spent over eight years with the club as a player, the club have hit new heights. Alguacil famously stood up in his post-match press conference after that final, donning a shirt like any fan, holding a scarf aloft and singing chants.

Alguacil returned to Real Sociedad in 2011 after 13 years away, joining the club as a youth coach and working his way up through the ranks. Five years after that appointment, he has already committed his future to the club until 2025.

The club’s B team is also doing well, having spent the 2021/22 campaign in LaLiga Smartbank, the second tier, with Xabi Alonso as coach. The now retired midfielder, who started out at Real Sociedad before moving on to Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, departed after the side were relegated, but has now caught the eye with his achievements at Bayer Leverkusen.

Despite his exit, the second string have bounced back and qualified for promotion play-offs to return to the second level of Spanish soccer. With such talented future generations, there is optimism around the recently renovated Reale Arena. The future is bright, both for the club on the field and for the players who are preparing for life both in and out of the game.