The Soccer Performance and Science Institute (SPSI) was founded by Dr. Jesús Rico-Sanz. The strong foundation of SPSI is sustained with the principles Dr. Rico-Sanz learned from his parents: 'I am forever indebted to my parents for instilling me human values, loyalty, discipline, and work ethics; and to my father for fostering my passion for soccer, and to my mother for inculcating the value of education and science." In the SPSI logo, the P for performance and the red color is to the memory of his father, the S for science and the blue color is to the legacy of his mother. Blue, Red, and White are the colors of SPSI; the DNA strands represent the contributions from the fathers and mothers to the development of the child; the child raising arms in the background superimposed on a soccer field represents the success of the development of the player.

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In 1983, after a devastating period of two years undergoing two adductor tendon surgeries which limited his speed and reduced his chances to move from the U21 team in Real Madrid to the professional team, Jesús realized that his dream was over and emigrated to the USA to pursue higher education in the field of sport science.

 

At the University of California Davis, he was inspired by the exceptional and comprehensive work of the legendary sport scientist Dr. Thomas Reilly. He expressed gratitude to Dr. Thomas Reilly's contributions to the science of soccer: "Dr. Reilly's studies, articles and books are of the same exceptional quality as Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo playing soccer at their best". 

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In 1988, as an undergraduate student at the University of California Davis (UCD), Jesús conducted a study evaluating the effects of different soccer training programs on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness of college players. He presented the results at the Second World Congress on Science and Football in Maastricht, Holland, in 1991. There he met Dr. Reilly for the first time.

 

In 1990, for his Master's thesis at UCD, he performed a study on the nutrition, hyperhydration, temperature regulation, and performance on Olympic level players. The results of this study have been published in several top scientific journals such as the International Journal of Sports Medicine and International Journal of Sports Nutrition.

 

Since the early 90s, he has been one of the pioneers of match performance analysis. In November 1992, he presented a model for the analysis of technical and tactical match performance in the First World Congress in Notational Analysis in Sport celebrated in Liverpool. He showed the results of his analysis of the five games that the Danish National Team played to win the EuroCup in 1992.

 

In the year 1996, Dr. Rico-Sanz developed a soccer-specific test to determine time to fatigue. He developed it further to create the soccer-specific test and trainer (soccer-SETT) which is age and gender specific. The system is used to track the development of key fitness indicators of match endurance, speed and power while simulating the alternating intensity physical demands of a soccer game.

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Between 1996 and 2007, he conducted numerous scientific studies on soccer players, athletes, and non-athletes, investigating different aspects of physiology, sport physiology, muscle metabolism, fatigue factors, nutrition, and the genetic interactions with diet and exercise on human performance and health. The results have been published in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Physiology, the American Journal of Physiology, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Physiological Genomics, and the Journal of Applied Physiology.

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In 2008, Dr. Rico-Sanz launched the game readiness grade performance average (GPA) to objectively evaluate technical development of players under standard conditions. He developed criteria to grade players performing techniques commonly utilized in soccer games

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In 2009, he created the Mindfootness method to program the brain to properly execute soccer techniques, while developing balance, coordination, strength, and awareness. Using scientific findings in neurophysiology, sensory and motor pathways, neuroplasticity, and skill learning he applied them to soccer training to establish the correct neurological pathways to perform the technical actions. 

 

In 2010, Dr. Rico-Sanz created a comprehensive set of criteria to grade each action with the ball in attacking and defending situations, resulting in the match-GPA, an objective method of assessment of each player's technical and tactical performance. Using the match-GPA, he analyzed the performance of elite players and their top teams including PSG, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Liverpool, the USA National Team, Argentina, and France. He graded the players' and teams' performances in the UEFA Champions League Finals and the most recent World Cup final. He found that Messi had the highest performance grade while competing at the highest level by assessing his GPA during the World Cup Final in 2022. Messi's percentage accuracy on technical actions was not the highest in that game. However, Messi's match GPA during the WC2022 final was the highest match performance grade ever measured objectively on elite players (https://www.soccerpsi.com/match-gpa). This proved that the match-GPA does justice to the quality of the elite players by grading quality, difficulty, and precision of their actions.​ The results in elite players have set the standards for young players. ​

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The strong pillars of SPSI regarding education and science would not be possible without the schooling and scientific training that Dr Rico-Sanz has received; and he is also grateful to those who educated him: "To the professors who provided me with knowledge in the areas of human physiology, sport science, genetics, health and disease, and to the scientists worldwide who shared their knowledge in publications, thank you for your expertise and the challenge to innovate and discover the unknowns".

 

After being diagnosed with bladder cancer in June 2020, undergoing two surgeries and immunotherapy treatments, SPSI became the purpose to the last chapter of his life giving personal meaning and direction. He treasures the doctors and nurses who participated in his cancer diagnosis, surgeries, and treatment. "I am eternally grateful to the doctors and nurses in San Diego and Orlando who kept me alive". As he continues to battle against cancer undergoing yearly invasive procedures and scans, he has expressed his gratitude to the sport: "Fútbol (soccer) and Real Madrid CF taught me to deal with the emotions associated with winning or losing games and National championships, so I am thankful to the sport for giving me the stoic endurance to withstand adversities in life". 

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Dr. Rico-Sanz conceived SPSI initially as an online soccer-specific teaching institution. As he was able to return to the fields, he added more to the mission of SPSI providing innovative training methods, testing and evaluating performance, issuing grading reports, providing objectivity in player development, offering relevant education to players and families, and giving assistance to low income families.

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At SPSI, in addition to providing technical, tactical, physical, and mental training to develop highly competitive soccer performers, players are taught about commitment, discipline, attention to instructions, collaboration, respect for others, perseverance and resilience . Also players and their families are educated on essential aspects of the game such as nutrition, injury prevention, lifestyle, and health. Furthermore, at SPSI young players receive advice on the importance of participating in sport and obtaining a higher education. All these activities are paramount for a comprehensive development of a player.