Sundays at EADA aren’t just about catching up on studies or sleeping in after a busy week—they’re about lacing up your boots, hitting the pitch, and connecting with friends (or making new ones) at Football Sundays. What started as a casual kick-around has become a weekly tradition that brings our diverse student community together for fun, fitness, and a bit of friendly competition.
Why Football Sundays Are the Best Way to Spend Your Weekend at EADA
Curious about what makes Football Sundays so special, we recently conducted a questionnaire to hear directly from those who play. Their responses revealed just how much this weekly event means to the EADA crowd.
Everyone has reasons for showing up, from staying fit to relaxing mentally, or simply enjoying the game and meeting new people. With participants from more than 12 different nationalities, 6 different master’s programs, and various skill levels, it’s clear that Football Sundays are as diverse as EADA itself.
The random teams every week mean you’re always working with new people, which keeps it exciting and helps you build communication skills.
More Than Just a Game: Why We Keep Coming Back
For most players, it’s about more than just football. It’s a way to break out of the classroom routine and build connections with classmates in a completely different setting. One player summed it up perfectly: “The random teams every week mean you’re always working with new people, which keeps it exciting and helps you build communication skills.” Another participant shared how the game pushes them to adapt and learn quickly, traits that carry over into both academic and professional life.
Our questionnaire also revealed how Football Sundays serve as a mental reset. Balancing the demands of EADA’s rigorous programs isn’t easy, and this weekly hour of sport offers a chance to relax, recharge, and have some fun. Plus, with the mix of competitive energy and good vibes, it’s hard not to leave the pitch feeling refreshed and ready for the week ahead.
The Power of Sports: Balancing Life Through Sport
As taught through lessons at Collbató about the Healthy Mind Platter, which emphasizes the combination of seven essential mental activities to optimize brain matter and well-being, physical time is an important aspect of our lives. Furthermore, recent research conducted by Elizabeth Yuko shows that moderate exercise can reduce work burnout. Interestingly, the key to this reduction is focusing on moderate exercise, since higher levels of intensity didn’t reduce burnout more than lower levels. So although moderate exercise allows us to recover from work-related issues and stress by replenishing our resources like cardiovascular health, mood, emotional regulation and memory, higher-intensity workouts may require too much from our body. This is because intense exercise results in higher levels of cortisol, thereby priming individuals for emotional stress and mental fatigue. This effect can be seen at the highest level of sports as well, since in recent years a lot of top sports athletes have opened up about their mental health issues, ranging from Simone Biles to Michael Phelps.
Linking this back to Football Sundays, one could argue those games we play are on the higher end of intensity since you’re constantly doing short sprints and intervals. But due to the modest level we’re playing at, there are moments of rest and calmness between those intervals, which allow us to play for 60 minutes and thus, on average, consider it as moderate exercise.
Connecting Football and Business
Recent articles shed light on the profound connections between football and leadership. The Childhood Hobby Shared by 69% of Women Leaders reveals that a significant majority of women in leadership positions credit their participation in team sports during their youth—especially football—with developing critical leadership traits like communication, teamwork, and perseverance. Meanwhile, Bavarian Football Works’ BFW Analysis: The Science of Decision-Making in Football delves into the cognitive aspects of the sport, illustrating how players must constantly assess situations, anticipate outcomes, and make split-second decisions under pressure.
These actions and steps closely relate to what managers do in the business world on a day-to-day basis. Connecting this with Football Sundays, these findings show that the game not only offers physical exercise but also hones skills such as adaptability, collaboration, and strategic thinking—qualities that translate seamlessly into professional and personal growth.
In conclusion, Football Sundays at EADA encapsulate much more than just a weekly soccer match; they serve as a vibrant blend of fitness, connection, and personal growth. This tradition unites students from diverse backgrounds and programs, fostering friendly competition while providing a mental reset from the rigorous demands of academic life. As a moderate exercise, these games strike a healthy balance by promoting well-being without overexertion, aligning with principles like the Healthy Mind Platter. Moreover, the skills honed on the pitch—teamwork, adaptability, and strategic thinking—echo the demands of leadership and business, demonstrating how this simple yet dynamic activity contributes to both personal and professional development in EADA’s global community.
We want to thank all the participants who filled in the questionnaire since it helped us a lot to write this article. Thank you to Ashwin, Felix, Harry, David, Pepe, Jay, Niall, Farouk, Emeric, Vincent, Vegard, Johan, Gianni and Jahn! If you're interested in Football Sundays and want to join us, don't hesitate to reach out to us via our EADA email addresses (lbradbury@eada.net or bdekimpe@eada.net)
Authors:
Bregt Dekimpe - Master in International Management
Bregt Dekimpe, originally from Tienen, Belgium, studied at KU Leuven, where he earned both his bachelor’s degree in Engineering Science and his master’s degree in Engineering Science: Computer Science. He is currently pursuing a Master in Management at EADA Business School in Barcelona. Bregt has a strong interest in sports, including cycling, football, and Formula One. One of his dream goals is to work as a Director for a cycling team and inspire others to achieve their best. He is excited to be at EADA, where he can connect and learn with like-minded peers, embrace new challenges, and grow as a leader.
Lawrence Bradbury - Master in Pharma & Biotech
Lawrence Bradbury, originally from the UK, has a background in biological sciences and experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. He has worked in areas such as operations, logistics, and clinical pathology, with a focus on quality control and sample management. Currently, he is expanding his knowledge by pursuing a master’s degree in business to broaden his skill set and explore new opportunities. Outside of work and studies, Lawrence is passionate about health, fitness, and nutrition, and enjoys spending time at the gym or immersing himself in music.