LaLiga provides training to 60 coaches from Costa Rica's First Division of Football

LaLiga held a training event on 31 March organised by Costa Rica's First Division Football Clubs Union (UNAFUT) in San Jose, Costa Rica. Juan Florit, LaLiga's technical head of sporting project development, and Luis Vicente Mateo, Valencia CF's academy director, gave talks during the Strengthening basic skills conference, aimed at over 60 UNAFUT coaches and sporting directors.

Training players at youth level and Spanish football as a model of excellence were two of the main topics covered during the conference. The training model of one of LaLiga's clubs, Valencia, was also analysed, explaining the structure, competencies, departments, long-term development processes, and training processes of the Spanish club to those present.

Meanwhile, Juan Florit was tasked with providing details on the frequency and scheduling of training, professional development of footballers, taking the step from youth level to professional football, and the key aspects in the process and the main demands and importance of comprehensive sports training.

"We would like to thank UNAFUT for inviting us to this conference with Spain's LaLiga. It has been really worthwhile. We've learned about lots of concepts we can apply in our lower leagues—an important contribution to the basic skills of the whole Costa Rican league," remarked Adrian Leandro, the manager of CS Cartagines, the reigning High Performance Under-20s champions. "It's been an enriching experience. We refreshed lots of the things we believe are missing from the training methods in our lower leagues. We know that if we are willing and able, we can do a good job. We're on the right track in some respects and need to improve in others," assured Victor Abelenda, a former First Division player, and now a basic skills coach with AD Municipal Liberia. 

The conference was held within the context of the agreement signed in 2015 between LaLiga and the Costa Rican First Division of Football (FPD) by Javier Tebas, the LaLiga president, and Julian Solano, the president of UNAFUT, in order to strengthen Costa Rican football with the aid of LaLiga professionals.