The Metropolitan University of Education, Science and Technology -UMECIT- was the setting for “Football 360: The vision of the protagonists”, a meeting that brought together renowned figures from national and international football to reflect on leadership, training, technology, management and the challenges facing the football industry.

The event, organized by UMECIT, UMECIT FC and VMSOCCERLATAM, combined a central conference, an expert panel and the signing of an agreement aimed at strengthening the links between education and sport.

The event was opened by the vice president of UMECIT FC, Juan David Nieto Rueda, who highlighted the importance of generating synergies between football and education, understanding sport as a tool for training and integral development.

Reinaldo Rueda: Training footballers starts with training people

The main conference was led by renowned Colombian technical director Reinaldo Rueda Rivera, who shared his experience and vision on sports training, especially in the initial stages of football.

Rueda placed special emphasis on the role of the coach-teacher and the responsibility he has to become a role model for children, both on and off the court.

During her presentation, she highlighted the need to understand the different phases of physical, psychological, emotional and social maturation of children, and to adapt training methodologies to their characteristics and needs.

In this regard, he pointed out the importance of putting the child at the center of the process, promoting safe and positive environments, play as a learning tool, healthy habits and proper planning of sessions.

For the coach, the sole objective of children's football should not be sporting results. Developing better people, respecting individual processes, and building values are essential parts of any future footballer's development.

Rueda's track record speaks for itself in high-performance sports. He has managed the national teams of Colombia, Honduras, Ecuador, and Chile, as well as clubs such as Atlético Nacional, Deportivo Cali, Independiente Medellín, and Flamengo, among others. He led Honduras and Ecuador to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, and with Atlético Nacional, he won the 2016 Copa Libertadores and the 2017 Recopa Sudamericana.

Panel of experts: different perspectives on football

The day continued with a panel of experts that allowed football to be addressed from different perspectives and professional experiences.

Technical director Alberto Gamero, who participated virtually, shared his vision on leadership within the locker room and resilience, highlighting the different realities experienced by members of a team: the starting players, the substitutes, and those who must assume different roles depending on collective success.

For his part, Juan Carlos Vásquez Ospina, CEO of VMSOCCERLATAM, FIFA Match Agent and CIES/FIFA Law specialist, addressed aspects related to the termination of contracts and the legal situations that may arise in the careers of footballers and coaches, highlighting the importance of knowledge and professional support in this area.

The panel also included Jaime de la Pava from Valle del Cauca, technical director of UMECIT FC, who expressed his satisfaction at having worn the colors of the Colombian National Team and shared his perspective on the technological evolution of football.

De la Pava highlighted the use of tools like GPS and data analysis for monitoring and evaluating performance, but stressed that technology must serve the coach's work. In his view, simply having information isn't enough: it's essential to know how to interpret it, use it correctly, and communicate it to the players accurately and clearly.

He also highlighted the importance of identifying and correcting mistakes during training as a fundamental part of the process of improving and preparing the footballer.

In this way, the panel made it clear that modern football requires much more than talent on the field: it demands leadership, preparation, legal knowledge, adaptability, and intelligent use of new technologies.

Education and sport: an alliance to transform

As part of the event, AFUTPA and UMECIT formalized a training, education and skills agreement, reaffirming the importance of strengthening ties between the education and sports sectors.

During the signing, Juan Ramón Solís emphasized that education and sports must go hand in hand to generate greater opportunities for growth and development.

For his part, the rector of UMECIT, Dr. José Alberto Nieto Rojas, highlighted the importance of professionalization, the cultivation of values, and preparation as tools to open opportunities and advance in professional and personal life.

This alliance represents a further step in UMECIT's commitment to promoting training spaces that respond to the needs of the sports industry and contribute to the development of those who are part of it.

A 360 view of football

“Football 360: The vision of the protagonists” made it possible to bring together in one space different generations, experiences and perspectives of the sport.

From the training of children and the role of the coach, to leadership in the locker room, legal aspects, technology, data analysis and professionalization, the meeting demonstrated that football is played on the field, but is also built with education, knowledge, strategy, leadership and decisions.

With initiatives like this, UMECIT continues to promote spaces for encounter between academia and sport, convinced that comprehensive training is fundamental to building the football of the present and the future.