More Than 550 Boys and Girls Begin Osasuna’s Technical Training Sessions at Tajonar

Tajonar hosted on Tuesday a presentation session for more than 550 boys and girls who will take part in Club Atlético Osasuna’s technical training program during the 2025-26 season.

First-team players Sergio Herrera, Asier Osambela and Iker Muñoz, along with women’s team players Nahia Azpiazu, Adri Parada, Marina Pérez and Claudia Jiménez, welcomed all the young participants and their families.

Through its external development project, Osasuna gathered children from partner clubs across Navarra and La Rioja who will train throughout the season at eight different venues. The opening session brought together all participants at Tajonar. The training sessions are aimed at boys born between 2018 and 2010, and girls born between 2016 and 2010.

The presentation event was attended by the young players and their families, as well as club representatives including Ángel Alcalde, director of Tajonar; Patxi Puñal, technical director of youth football; and Carlos Ochoa, sporting manager of the external project. The three delivered a welcome address before the children received their Osasuna training kits and played several friendly matches to conclude the day.

Puñal: “These sessions help us stay close to them and show them how we work at Tajonar” 

Patxi Puñal, Osasuna’s technical director of youth football, highlighted the importance of the initiative for the club’s academy system.

“This is an important project, as about 30 people from the club are involved in the technical training program,” Puñal said. “Through these sessions, we work with boys and girls from our partner clubs to improve their football and personal skills using the ‘Tajonar Method.’ Currently, we run sessions for nine age groups, from 2010 to 2018. These trainings allow us to stay close to them and show them how we work at Tajonar, with the goal of eventually incorporating them into our academy from the partner clubs, which is one of our main objectives.”

Puñal also praised the involvement of first-team players. “We’re very fortunate because the men’s and women’s first-team players always get involved,” he said. “They take part in this activity and others within the Tajonar structure. It’s not easy to find this level of commitment to young players at other clubs nowadays.”

Del Río: “It’s a special day for girls who feel the pride of Osasuna and Navarra”

Estíbaliz del Río, coordinator of girls’ youth football, shared a message with all the young players starting the new season.

“It’s an exciting day for all the girls beginning a new round of technical training sessions, and especially for those joining us for the first time,” Del Río said. “For them, who feel the pride of being part of Osasuna and Navarra, it’s a very special day. They get the chance to train at Tajonar and meet the women’s first-team players. They should enjoy this unique experience, which allows them to grow within Osasuna’s academy, learning through a recognized methodology and experienced coaches. These sessions should not only help them improve as players but also grow as individuals.”

Del Río also underlined the growing role of women’s football within the club’s structure. “This year, Osasuna added a new women’s team to its academy,” she said. “The Under-12, Under-14, and Women’s C teams have joined the ‘Tajonar Method,’ just like the external project’s technical training sessions, which were previously part of the boys’ program only. This step allows the club to expand its scouting areas, increase the number of players and ensure that all of them learn and develop through the Tajonar methodology.”

Ochoa: “Nine out of 10 U-8 players and eight out of 10 U-11 players who join Osasuna come from our partner clubs”

Carlos Ochoa, sporting manager of the external project, explained the main objectives of the technical training sessions.

“For many of the boys and girls who came to Tajonar today, this is their first day,” Ochoa said. “Our main goal is to continue strengthening our relationship with the partner clubs, which are an essential part of our structure. Their connection with Osasuna allows us to work with the most promising players from their teams and help them improve technically through these sessions.”

Ochoa also emphasized the importance of the partner clubs and their role in developing players for Osasuna. “The high-performance centers help us bring players into the Osasuna system,” he said. “The 150 partner clubs are crucial to this project—nine out of every 10 U-8 players and eight out of every 10 U-11 players who join Osasuna each season come from these centers. That’s why this project is so important to us.”

Finally, Ochoa reflected on the emotional side of the event. “It’s a very exciting day for them because they get to train at Tajonar and receive the club’s gear, which always feels special,” he said. “But it’s special for us too. We always say that any player from Navarra who signs for Osasuna should truly want to be an Osasuna player—and today we saw that passion in so many faces filled with excitement.”