Real Madrid’s Fundación inaugurated its VI International Congress ‘For a REAL Education: Values and Sport’ this weekend, focusing on sports leadership through respect and the integration of neuroscience into athletic learning and training. The congress, held at the Ciudad Real Madrid, operated under the hashtag #RespetuosaMENTE.
The closing session, moderated by Adrián Silla, Director of the Fundación Real Madrid’s Training Area, featured remarks from Felipe Reyes, a Fundación ambassador, and Silvia Montes‑Jovellar, Director of Projects. Reyes emphasized the crucial role coaches play in the foundation’s sociodeportive projects, stating, “Sport not only develops athletes, it also contributes to forming people; with your affection and your example, you manage to transmit values that will accompany them throughout their lives.”
Montes Jovellar highlighted the impact of ongoing professional development for technical staff, asserting, “Our educators are a key piece of our model because, day to day, with your vocation and professionalism, you are the ones who accompany, understand, and assist our students.”
The two-day congress included presentations, papers, simultaneous workshops, and field practice. Juan Mateo, in an opening presentation, underscored the importance of recognizing the emotions of those being led and supporting them with both kindness and firmness, arguing that a leader’s purpose lies in helping others. Daniel Sanabria Lucena noted the ongoing challenge for neuroscience to definitively explain brain function, but suggested that understanding the brain’s predictive nature could be a key tool for designing training activities that challenge young athletes’ attention and perception.
Saturday’s program culminated in a basketball practice session led by Maurizio Cremonini, who reminded participants that, in sports initiation, instructors must remember that sport provides a unique context for developing life skills.
On Sunday, David Bueno, a biologist specializing in the influence of neuroscience on human behavior, defined the sports educator as a driver of change, emphasizing the impact of emotional state on athletes’ experience of sport. The congress concluded with remarks from Anna Forés, Director of the Neuroeducation Chair at the University of Barcelona. Forés urged educators to create inclusive sporting environments, stating, “Sport must generate spaces that allow all people to be included; we cannot leave anyone out of the game, but offer everyone the opportunity to participate and learn in motion.”
More than 200 coaches and educators from national and international sociodeportive projects participated in the congress, engaging in presentations, workshops, applied field sessions, and reflective discussions. The program included lectures from experts in sports pedagogy, neuroscience, and leadership, as well as practical workshops and activities focused on football and basketball. Content from the congress will be made available on demand through the Sport Values Academy platform, utilizing a hybrid format.
The event received sponsorship from MadCup. With the conclusion of the congress, the Fundación Real Madrid reaffirmed its commitment to training professionals capable of leading with respect and utilizing sport as a transformative tool for young people worldwide.
