PFA Case Study: Learning Spanish with Tournament Play-Offs
Back in the summer of 2020, we teamed up with the Professional Footballer’s Association (PFA) to challenge 14 of its members to learn the basics of conversational Spanish in just six weeks. Find out how they got on below.
The client
Founded in 1907, the PFA is the world’s longest running professional sportspersons’ union. Its Manchester-based charity supports players during and after their careers in sport, through education, training, guidance and wellbeing services.
As the pandemic put an end to team sports and people began looking for new challenges, our founder Cristina spotted an opportunity to aid the personal and professional development of those whose footballing careers had been put on hold.
In total, seven players and seven coaches from across the UK took part in our Spanish language pilot scheme for businesses, now known as La Liga. The full group was split into two teams – coaches and players – working separately for almost the entire process. Little did they know what their final session would entail…
What we did
In line with the charity’s aims, we developed a unique team building programme to boost morale, promote mental wellbeing and help 14 Spanish-language novices learn the basics of a second language in just six two-hour Zoom sessions.
As many of the participants wanted to be able to speak to Spanish colleagues and players and potentially work in Spain in future, we tailored lessons around footballing vocabulary as well as everyday conversational Spanish and essential grammar.
Unlike traditional classroom teaching, we used a range of interactive games, group challenges and online tools to keep things interesting and boost confidence through spoken practice – only Spanish (or Spanglish) allowed!
We also made sure that our lessons were relaxed and informal, so that everyone taking part felt comfortable and able to express themselves throughout the course.
The results
At the beginning of the challenge, it was clear that everyone participating felt nervous and out of their comfort zone. However, as they progressed through the weeks, each group member became more confident and people who were complete strangers at first, were soon helping each other out and giving encouragement.
After six weeks, it was revealed that two groups had actually taken part and they finally met during their final Zoom session. What they all thought was their evaluation, turned out to be a penalty-shootout-style tournament between coaches and players.
After whittling down the contestants during a tense round of Semi-Final games, the players finally took the La Liga Cup in the final play-off by a margin!
The pilot scheme was such a success that five PFA members have continued their Spanish lessons with us in their own time.
Giving back
Recognising the importance of maintaining good mental health and building resilience in the face of adversity, our founder Cristina wanted to give something back to the community in which she lived and worked during her seven year stint as a Manchester resident.
Given the nature of the pilot scheme, we decided to donate part of the money from the project to The Urban Fitness Collective (Tuf*C) – a non-profit social enterprise which supports marginalised young people through sporting activities in Old Trafford.
Looking to challenge your own team?
If you’re looking for your next corporate team building challenge and are keen to help your employees develop new and transferable skills, look no further. Our La Liga corporate programme isn’t just for footballers. Whatever your industry or interest, we can tailor fun group lessons to suit your needs.
Using the latest interactive methods, you can learn Spanish through real conversations, alongside your work colleagues. Then, put your skills to the test by competing with other departments within your organisation in a hosted tournament.
What are you waiting for? Contact us today at to find out more.
Let’s talk about your personal learning journey
If you want to speak Spanish with ease, the first step starts with you.