Gerard Piqué Starts UEFA B-A Coaching Course with Busquets, Puyol in Andorra

Gerard Piqué, majority shareholder and technical leader at FC Andorra alongside Jaume Nogués and head coach Carles Manso, has begun the Andorran Football Federation's (FAF) UEFA B-A coaching course. The intensive programme, developed with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) under FAF president Fèlix Álvarez, allows veteran ex-professionals to qualify directly for UEFA A-level coaching without the preliminary UEFA C stage. It equips graduates to work in advanced youth football and high-performance categories across Spanish regional federations and European competitions.

Piqué joined other prominent former players at the Estadi Nacional in Andorra la Vella on Monday afternoon, observing the halftime of an international friendly between the Andorran and Faroe Islands women's teams. Present were World Cup winners Sergio Busquets—now assistant at Barça Atlètic under Juliano Belletti—and Thiago Alcántara, who assisted Barcelona's first team last season with Hansi Flick and now co-owns Hospitalet with Jordi Alba. Javi Martínez, recently with Qatar's Al-Bidda SC, and Santi Cazorla, retired at Real Oviedo, also attended, along with Iago Herrerín, formerly of Athletic Club and now at Penya Encarnada. Carles Puyol, another ex-Barça defender and Andorran resident, is enrolled but absent that day. Local participants included Marc Pujol, assistant to Koldo Álvarez de Eulate with the national team, goalkeeper José Antonio Gomes, and Atlètic Club d'Escaldes defender Adri Gallego.

This launched the first of four in-person blocks through June 2027, following initial online sessions early in October. The 580-hour course comprises 176 hours of classroom sessions, 304 hours of practical work and 100 hours of independent study at the Francesc Vila Training Centre and FAF's new Encamp stadium. Trainees must also join an 11-a-side team as head or assistant coach, with near-full attendance required alongside continuous evaluations, exams and a final project. Capped at 20 students—prioritising Andorrans and residents—it costs €4,000, with a €1,000 discount for those meeting criteria, including seven full top-division seasons in a UEFA or FIFA federation.

Piqué's participation builds on his active involvement at FC Andorra, where he shapes daily decisions despite lacking prior qualifications. The club supports the setup, with Piqué publicly affirming Manso during recent changes. No plans have emerged for him to assume a head coaching role.