Wirral Met footballers experience Portugal’s Premier League

Seventeen sports science and sports coaching students were selected for a trip of a lifetime to Lisbon, Portugal to train with professional football team S.L. Benfica.

During the two-week trip, sports and fitness students will take part in an intensive team training camp with youth team coaches, observe the professional teams and learn about the ‘Benfica way’ through presentations about nutrition, scouting, welfare, game model and psychology.

S.L. Benfica is a professional football club based in Lisbon that competes in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portuguese football.

This once in a lifetime opportunity allows students to develop their skill through professional coaching sessions with Portuguese youth coaches, before facing Portuguese opposition in a series of three friendly 90-minute matches.

Based at Benfica Campus, students will experience the team’s training methods and benefit from the state-of-the-art training facilities which include nine pitches, two gyms, physiotherapy rooms, locker rooms, cafes, swimming pools, Jacuzzi and sauna.

Outside of the training camp, students will visit the Benfica Museum, the Estádio da Luz Stadium and explore Portugal’s thriving capital city.

Principal Sue Higginson said: “Working closely with Portuguese football team S.L. Benfica, our sports students will gain experience of working abroad as well as a fantastic insight in to the world of professional football.

“Experiences like this are so important to help our students build confidence as they learn new techniques, leadership skills and knowledge to further their future careers.”

This trip was made possible thanks to funding from the UK’s new Turing scheme, and Erasmus+ programme secured last year.

This year, over 200 Wirral Met students will get the life-changing opportunity to work and study abroad for free with fully funded placements in European destinations such as Malta, Seville, Tenerife and Italy.