"For Vicente Del Bosque Football Academy it was a great honor to receive the sportsmanship award at the 2019 Donosti Cup"

For the Donosti Cup, sportsmanship, fair play and respect are the values that we most appreciate in a team. For this reason, in each edition, in collaboration with UNICEF, we award the “Sportsmanship Award”. For our Organization, it is one of the most important prizes we give and highlights the qualities that all teams participating in the tournament should have.

This award is won on and off the fields and assesses different aspects related to the behavior of a team during the tournament.

An aspect to be chosen for this award is not having received any cards during the competition. This is something general in the Donosti Cup since more than 70% of the participating teams finish the tournament without any card. Other aspects that are valued are being very respectful with the referees and with rival teams, when a match is won to be understanding with the team that has lost, when it is lost, congratulate the team that has won, if any player from the rival team has been injured, worry about him and even help him, when a team is far superior to another team, not abuse or score many goals or disrespect that team, know how to thank the supporters for their support during matches, know how to thank the coach for his effort to teach them to enjoy the game, and also know how to thank the members of the organization for their work so that all teams can take delight in the tournament.

Taking into account all these criteria, the Organization with the help of the Competition Committee chose “Vicente del Bosque Foundation” as the team worthy of the “UNICEF Sportsmanship Award” in 2019.

Now we wanted to know what this award meant for the Vicente Del Bosque Academy Foundation and for this we have contacted its director, Pau Alberti.

. What did it mean for you to receive the sportsmanship award at the 2019 Donosti Cup?

For Vicente Del Bosque Football Academy it was a great honor and a pride to receive the UNICEF award for sportsmanship at the 2019 Donosti Cup. The projects of Sir. Vicente Del Bosque that we have developed since 2011, the year in which we started the summer camps, and the football academy that we develop nationally and internationally is based on sports training in values.

Transmitting the main ideals of the sport represented by Sir Vicente Del Bosque and by the academy players in the Donosti Cup such as tolerance, respect, solidarity, friendship, fair play, integration, effort and happiness are the pillar of our project. Therefore, receiving this award was the best "gift" we could receive, since it was a recognition of the work that we have been doing.

. Why do you think the organization chose you?

First of all, we think it is because of the good behavior of all the members of the Vicente Del Bosque Football Academy teams that participated in the 2019 edition of the Donosti Cup. All of them are a reflection of the values that we promote together with Sir Vicente and we consider that sport and this type of experience are the best option for their development.

Secondly, the figure of Sir Vicente Del Bosque has been and continues to be a very influential and important person in our country due to the values he promotes and his involvement in the instruction, at all levels, of the youngest and in social initiatives for those who need it most.

. Has this award had any effect on the behavior of your players?

Of course, it has had a very positive effect on everyone and we are very grateful for it, from the players and their families to the organization of the academy. This award gives us more strength to continue this path of offering complementary training to the youngest through sport and its values with the Vicente Del Bosque Football Academy project.