Ricardo Balbeira (CEO of Soccer Hub): “Being associated with a brand like Valencia CF is a tremendous asset for Soccer HUB. It is an acknowledgment that we are on the right path”

The online education company specialised in football signed a collaboration agreement with the club, through which the Academy's coaches are now able to take courses to broaden their knowledge and thus be better prepared for new challenges. Thanks to this, “Valencia CF now has a competitive advantage over its competitors as they are able to instantly access the most up-dated content available on the market”, Ricardo stated.

In this interview with Ricardo Balbeira, CEO of Soccer Hub, it is explained how this company began, what their main goals are, and why they described themselves as “constant improvement, innovation and convenience”.

How did you come up with the idea of creating Soccer Hub?

Since I left the University, about 20 years ago, I have dedicated myself to the production of educational events for the different sectors of the football industry. Evidently, during most of that period, these training actions were delivered in person, as the existing technology, and the dominant mentality, did not allow the dissemination of online content. I began to feel that face-to-face training, by its nature, absorbed many resources and preparation time, and it ran out at the moment of delivery. I wanted to be able to reach more students efficiently. And so, Soccer HUB was born. It was the clear answer to reach wider audiences without having time or space as a limit.

How does it work, and which are its goals?

The purpose of Soccer HUB is to bring the most up-to-date knowledge to the 4 corners of the world. Thus, anyone, anywhere in the world can access the platform, choose the course that suits them best and receive knowledge at their own pace. The idea is to provide highly specific content for those looking to improve themselves as football professionals.

Nowadays there is a huge offer in terms of online courses. What makes you different?

We are very knowledgeable about this market. As I mentioned, we have accumulated many years of experience, not only in the area of ​​content production, but also in the area of ​​selling products online and in the technological side. Thus, we are convinced that the subjects chosen for the courses are those that customers are looking for. The price at which we offer these contents is also an asset. The format is very attractive and we have a very high rate of completion of courses.

Why is important for you to collaborate with sport entities, and in particular with Valencia CF?

The partnership with entities like Valencia CF is absolutely in line with the main purpose of Soccer HUB: getting the most evolved content to those who need it. We understand that, on the other hand, that it is a perfect solution for clubs given their professionals' limited time in accessing more conventional content. Thus, it seems to us the perfect symbiosis in which both parties benefit.

How will both Soccer Hub and Valencia CF benefit from this agreement?

Being associated with a brand like Valencia CF is a tremendous asset for Soccer HUB. It is an acknowledgment that we are on the right path. We know that we have a lot to learn and that the different coaches from Valencia can help us in this process. On the other hand, Valencia CF now has a competitive advantage over its competitors as they are able to instantly access the most up-dated content available on the market.

How important is for Soccer Hub to innovate and be part of the Innovation Hub?

The online training industry is booming. The pandemic situation anticipated some of the processes by 10 or 15 years. We, who were already in the market before the pandemic, have to adapt even faster to be able to remain dominant in this market. Therefore, being involved in an innovation environment is essential for us. We have an obligation to innovate in order to remain competitive.

Finally, describe Soccer Hub with just three words:

I would say: constant improvement, innovation and convenience.