During the first part of the ceremony, Borja de Alarcón, the new Head of
Sports at the UIC, welcomed the new men's and women's teams and explained how
the year was going to work. A total of nine new men's teams and four women's
teams have signed up for the Champions UIC Football Competition. All the teams
that represent the UIC received new sports equipment.

After some light refreshments, a speech was given by this
year's guest of honour, Javier Clemente, the former manager
of the Spanish national football team as well as other teams, including RCD Espanyol and Athletic Club
Bilbao. Clemente was introduced by Carlos Pérez de Rozas, a professor in the
Faculty of Communication Sciences. Beforehand, Belén Zárate, the Vice Rector for
the University Community, thanked Clemente for attending and spoke about the
UIC’s work to encourage sport among university students. She discussed the
different goals the UIC has for the year, such as “increasing women's
participation in university sports, which has got off on the right foot thanks
to the creation of the women's basketball, football and volleyball teams”.

During his lecture, Javier Clemente spoke at length
about the virtues of a good sportsman. “You should focus on enthusiasm and hard
work”, he said. “Teamwork and camaraderie are key to the success of a team”. He
highlighted the skills and values that players must learn starting at an early
age. “Does anyone really think that if someone isn't a team player at 16, he
will become one when he plays in professional football?” he asked.

The former manager also spoke about his years in
professional football, his training methods and how he treats his players, as
well as how important it is for a team to come together as a group. “There
can't be any rifts among the players”, he said. “The priority of a team is the
group”.

As many of those in attendance were students of the
UIC Master's Programme in Sports Journalism, Clemente also mentioned the media
and the role it plays in the world of sport. He expressed his gratitude to the
work of journalists, which helped him to get as far as he has come. He also
encouraged those who decide to work in sports journalism to “avoid delving into
people's personal lives”. He said, “You should be aware that your opinions have
an impact on people's lives and you should therefore be very respectful”.