From Champions League to World Championships – Unai Aguirre on success, pressure & goals

“I’m So Proud of My Team – We Played an Amazing Season” – Unai
Aguirre on Champions League, CN Barceloneta & the Winning
Mentality of Spain In this episode of the Waterpolo Expert Talk,
Spanish national team goalkeeper Unai Aguirre looks back on one of
the most intense and emotional seasons of his career with CN
Barceloneta, including the dramatic Champions League Final Eight,
unforgettable penalty shootouts and the constant pressure of
competing at the very top of European water polo. Unai describes
why he is incredibly proud of his team despite narrowly missing the
Champions League final. Barceloneta fought through an extremely
demanding season, showed outstanding performances in decisive games
and proved that the club belongs permanently among the elite of
European water polo. Especially the penalty shootout matches
against top-class opponents remain deeply emotional moments for him
as a goalkeeper. A major topic of this episode is the comparison
with Pro Recco, currently the most dominant club team in Europe.
Unai explains why experience, confidence, player chemistry and
especially the atmosphere inside the team are decisive factors for
long-term success. According to him, talent alone is not enough –
the connection between players, coaches and staff is what finally
wins titles. Beyond the club season, Unai also reflects on his
greatest career moment so far: winning the World Championship and
being named Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament. He describes the
emotional impact of this success, the pride he felt for his family
and friends, and why these moments still give him strength even
though he lives fully focused on the present. A very important part
of the conversation is dedicated to the mental side of being a
goalkeeper. Unai shares the advice he received from his former
teammate Dani López, who taught him above all to stay calm under
pressure, to be mentally ready for every match and to truly enjoy
being in the goal. This mental strength, according to Unai, is far
more important than any technical detail. He also talks about the
new water polo rules, his pragmatic attitude toward change and why
Spain may even benefit from the faster and more dynamic style of
play. As a goalkeeper, adapting to new rules is simply part of the
job, and Unai makes clear that flexibility and learning speed are
key qualities for modern athletes. Looking ahead, the focus now
shifts fully toward the Spanish national team. After already
winning major international titles, the new generation of Spanish
players carries both confidence and pressure. Unai speaks openly
about this responsibility, the incredible quality in every position
of the current squad and the clear goal of becoming world champions
once again. This episode offers a powerful and honest insight into
the life of a world-class goalkeeper between Champions League
pressure, world championship glory, mental strength and the
constant hunger for the next title. More about the podcast:
https://www.schulzekopp.de ️ Subscribe to the Waterpolo Expert Talk
for exclusive international insights, elite mentality and
high-performance water polo.