“We deserved it to be World Champions this year” – Alberto Munárriz on Spain’s World Title & Mental Pressure (Part 1)

In this episode of the Waterpolo Expert Talk, Alberto Munárriz,
World Champion with Spain, reflects on one of the most meaningful
moments of his career: winning the World Championship after years
of coming painfully close. Alberto begins by introducing his
personal journey. Raised in northern Spain, he initially played
football like most children before discovering water polo through
his family. His father, a former goalkeeper, and close relatives
already involved in the sport influenced his early decision to
switch. At the age of ten, Munárriz fully committed to water polo,
later moving from Water Polo Navarra to CN Barceloneta, where he
has been playing since 2013 while also becoming a core player of
the Spanish national team. A major focus of the conversation is
Spain’s path to the world title. Munárriz explains how important
the group stage draw was and how tactical planning, recovery and
mental preparation shaped the tournament. With limited preparation
time after the Champions League Final Eight, the team’s first
priority was recovery, followed by sharpening defensive structure
and match readiness. Alberto describes how Spain gradually grew
into the tournament. Early games were marked by nervousness and
adjustment to new conditions, but from the quarterfinals onward the
team found its rhythm. The quarterfinal against Montenegro was
physical and tight, decided by a single goal, while the semifinal
showcased Spain’s defensive solidity and tactical control. The
emotional heart of the episode centers on the final. Munárriz
openly discusses the mental burden Spain carried into the match.
Over the previous years, Spain had lost major finals – including
the 2018 European Championship final against Serbia, the World
Championship final against Italy, and the 2020 European
Championship final against Hungary – often by penalties. Each loss
added pressure, but also experience. According to Munárriz, winning
the final was a form of liberation. Spain had learned how to play
decisive matches, how to manage pressure, and how to trust the
process. While acknowledging Italy’s outstanding tournament, he
firmly believes Spain played the better water polo in the final and
deserved the title. He emphasizes that finals are not only about
tactics and physical preparation. They are psychological battles
that require experience, emotional control and the ability to
perform under extreme pressure. Winning or losing by penalties does
not define the quality of a team – but learning from those moments
does. The episode concludes with Munárriz reflecting on the Olympic
Games, describing them as an entirely different level of
competition, and underlining how Spain’s journey toward the world
title has strengthened the team for future challenges. This episode
offers an authentic, insightful and emotional perspective on what
it takes to finally cross the finish line after years of being
close – and why championships are often won long before the final
whistle. More about the podcast: https://www.schulzekopp.de