The Soccer Performance & Science Institute (SPSI) was founded by Dr. Jesús Rico-Sanz as a non-profit organization dedicated to the objective and comprehensive development of soccer players through innovative and science-based methods of training, testing game readiness, and analyzing match performance, in addition to teaching young players about commitment, discipline, attention to instructions, collaboration, and respect for others which are vital characteristics in their future careers. Furthermore, educating players and their families on essential aspects of the game such as nutrition, injury prevention, lifestyle, and health related issues is paramount to SPSI's mission. 

 

Since the early 90s, Dr. Rico-Sanz 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, he 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 for the duration of a soccer game.

 

In 2001, Dr. Rico-Sanz launched the game readiness grade performance average (GPA) to objectively evaluate the development of eight of the techniques most commonly utilized in soccer games; evaluated for the right and left feet. He developed a set of specific criteria to grade the players performing these techniques under standard conditions.

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In 2008, Dr. Rico-Sanz created the Mindfootness method to program the brain to properly execute the techniques in soccer with both feet, while training 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 used his background of the analysis of the Danish National team in 1992 to invent a more comprehensive set of criteria for each action with the ball in attacking and defending situations. Thus the soccer-GPA is an objective method of assessment of each player's technical and tactical performance. The soccer-GPA is the legacy of his unique and innovative contribution to the science of performance analysis in soccer. Using the soccer-GPA, Dr. Rico-Sanz analyzed the technical and tactical performance of all the 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 individual players' and teams' performances in the UEFA Champions League Finals and the most recent World Cup final. Using the same scientific criteria to analyze all players, he found that Messi had the highest match performance grade while competing at 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 WC 2022 final was the highest match performance grade ever measured objectively on elite players (https://www.soccerpsi.com/match-gpa). This proved that the soccer-GPA does justice to the quality of the exceptional players by grading quality, difficulty, and precision of the actions of the players.​ The results obtained in highly competitive or elite players have set the standards for young players. ​