In Andorra la Vella, a women’s international provided an unusual classroom for five former Spain players as Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Javi Martínez, Thiago Alcântara and Santi Cazorla continued their journey into coaching.
A coaching course in the Principality
The former internationals attended Andorra women’s friendly against the Faroe Islands at the Estadi Nacional, using the occasion as part of the first UEFA B-A course organised by the Andorran Football Federation.
Andorra won the match 2-1, with the local side’s performance forming part of a practical learning day for the new coaching group. The programme is designed for prospective coaches in the federation and includes four in-person blocks, the first of which began on Monday. The course will run until June 2027.
- Piqué, Busquets and Martínez are World Cup winners with Spain.
- Thiago and Cazorla also represented Spain at senior international level.
- The five former players are part of the first intake on the Andorran federation’s UEFA B-A programme.
- Goalkeeper Iago Herrerín also attended the session.
Former teammates reunite beside the pitch
Piqué watched alongside two former Barcelona colleagues, Busquets and Thiago. The former Spain defender now heads the coaching staff at FC Andorra, who compete in LaLiga Hypermotion.
Busquets is currently on Juliano Belletti’s staff at Barça Atlètic in Segunda RFEF. Thiago, meanwhile, worked as an assistant to Hansi Flick with Barcelona’s first team last season and is now involved with Jordi Alba at L’Hospitalet.
Martínez and Cazorla were seated together during the fixture. Martínez is without a club after leaving Qatar’s Al-Bidda SC, while Cazorla retired last season following his spell with Real Oviedo.
Andorran connections
Herrerín’s presence underlined the local flavour of the gathering. The former Athletic Club goalkeeper has joined Peña Encarnada, a side in Andorra’s top division.
For a small footballing nation accustomed to looking beyond its borders, the course has brought together figures with experience from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Spain and the wider European game. The friendly against the Faroes offered the first shared field session of a long qualification process that will continue in the Principality through to 2027.
