Liga F boosts the future of Athletic Club players through scholarships
With the signing of the Second Collective Agreement, academic training became one of the basic pillars for the development of the players. LigaF granted 33 training scholarships across various clubs in the competition, fifteen of them to players from Athletic Club, who are an example of balancing football and studies.
19 TUE 2026
“LigaF helps us a lot because it's a scholarship that we can all apply for, and it will be very beneficial for our future,” explains Sara Ortega (Logroño, 20 February 2005), one of the youngest players at Athletic Club and a Nursing student. Despite her youth, the midfielder already advises new generations on the importance of education. “I would help young players coming up below us to get a degree and continue studying,” she states. The player from La Rioja is studying the same degree as Daniela Agote (Barakaldo, 27 August 2006), who, like her teammate, also highlights the importance of having a plan B for when her football career ends. “Football isn't forever. Anything can happen, and it's good to have something for the future to lead a more peaceful life. If they can take us as an example, even better,” she emphasises.
The winger explains that “we try to organise ourselves to attend classes and be able to balance it.” Goalkeeper Olatz Santana (Hernani, 08 May 1997) is also studying Nursing. The goalkeeper is quick to explain that “this scholarship is an additional help that makes the whole process of studying for a degree easier, and it's very beneficial for the future and financially.” Furthermore, the shot-stopper states what this scholarship means for the footballers. “The support from both LigaF and the clubs is a boost for us.” Indeed, the player from Gipuzkoa doesn't hesitate to elaborate on the day-to-day life of the Bilbao-based footballers. “We train in the mornings, but you can go to university first thing in the morning until 9:00-9:30 AM, and in the afternoon, you can organise yourself for tutorials or try to attend other classes you couldn't make in the morning,” explains the keeper.
With experience already in balancing football and studies, the goalkeeper reveals the secret to managing both disciplines. “In fact, I've discussed it more than once with Sarita (Ortega) and Dani (Agote). I, for example, started studying Nursing, and then I started rushing, with the aim of finishing it, and when I see them, I think football has changed now, and we have the opportunity to enjoy what we do and make a living from it,” explains the keeper, who is very clear about the advice she would give to young footballers starting in the world of football. “My advice is that they should obviously study, find something they like, but take it easy because otherwise, it becomes more of an obligation and loses its meaning,” she argues about the importance of focusing on their football career, but without neglecting their academic studies.
Another of the footballers receiving a scholarship from LigaF is Irene Oguiza (Durango, 5 January 2000). The midfielder balances high-level football with an Economics degree. “Economically, it's always important. There are players here who perhaps don't have the purchasing power to fund their studies, and ultimately, having entities that provide you with that peace of mind makes things much easier,” explains the player from Biscay, who values the club's commitment to helping them with their studies. “Athletic provides us with rooms where we can study after training, and then, with exams that we have in the mornings, which coincide with training, they make things super easy for us to pursue our studies.” The midfielder from Durango states that “it's enriching for each of us to keep learning little by little.”
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One of the players who places the most importance on studies is goalkeeper Adriana Nanclares (Miranda de Ebro, 5 May 2002). An international with the Spanish national team, with whom she became a Nations League champion, the keeper studied for a degree in Primary Education Teaching, and is currently pursuing a Double Degree in Business Administration and Marketing. The goalkeeper explains her decision to study for a second degree. “I've always liked children, but it's difficult to work as a teacher while actively playing, and since we were very young, we haven't had training in financial education. When we start earning our first salaries, you never know what to do with your money. For me, it's something that interested me for my future projects,” explains the goalkeeper, who, at just 23 years old, already has extensive experience in LigaF Moeve.
“I'm delighted that the league continues to grow in this way and that economic conditions continue to improve, as do the rights we have as players on the pitches and in the facilities,” explains the keeper. Finally, Maddi Torre (San Sebastián, 30 March 1996), an Athletic Club centre-back and Medicine student, is the best example of balancing both disciplines. “I've chosen two demanding professions. The demands of women's football are increasing, and the demands academically are also high,” confesses the defender, who looks up to her club's doctor. “The Athletic doctor, Pablo Aranda, is a fundamental pillar for me. He's the one who has made me grow both academically and professionally as a future doctor.” Furthermore, the Basque team's defender is very clear that “life is very long, and football ends quickly, and you never know.”