CONMEBOL revolution: Nery Pumpido unites legends in free seminar

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Radio Gol

·10 April 2026

CONMEBOL revolution: Nery Pumpido unites legends in free seminar

In a relaxed conversation with the ADN team on Radio Gol 96.7, Nery Alberto Pumpido, World Cup champion and current CONMEBOL executive leader, shared details of the ambitious CONMEBOL Evolución Seminar, which will be held virtually on April 13 and 14. What began as an idea for a small group has turned into a global phenomenon that already has more than 48,000 registrants from 58 countries.

From in-person attendance to a massive virtual room

Pumpido explained that the initiative came about after noticing that major training events were limited to 150 or 200 people. “I told Alejandro (Domínguez): I want to hold a seminar for 20,000 people that reaches every coach in South America,” he recalled. The response exceeded expectations: they now have interested participants from places as far away as Iceland, Angola, Iran, and Thailand.

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A panel of stars and experts

The seminar, which is completely free, will feature a lineup of top-level figures:

Management and Leadership: Alejandro Domínguez will open the event by sharing his vision after 30 years in leadership.
Training and Technique: Claudio Vivas (coach educator), Mauro Silva, Filipe Luís, and Gerardo Pelusso will take part.
Specialists: Neuroscience will be covered by Sandra Rossi (former River Plate), mental health by Pablo Nigro, and goalkeeper training by Martín Tocalli.
Success stories: Roberto Arroyo will explain the Independiente del Valle model, a club that has revolutionized the market with historic sales such as that of Moisés Caicedo.

The importance of “getting back to the roots”

Pumpido placed special emphasis on individual technical training, lamenting that in recent times basic instruction in youth divisions has been neglected. “You lose a match or a championship because you don’t know how to strike the ball with both feet or head it properly,” he warned. In that regard, he stressed that the training aims to prepare players comprehensively, both on and off the pitch.

Current topics: National team, VAR, and new rules

During the journalistic “ping-pong,” the former goalkeeper touched on current issues:

Argentina at the World Cup: “They arrive once again as contenders. I see the players with the same desire, and renewal is important.”
Rules of the game: As part of the IFAB panel, Pumpido underlined the need to speed up play, especially goal kicks, which today take “between 20 and 25 seconds.”
Finalissima: He commented that although the relationship with UEFA is excellent, the tight schedule and external conflicts have made it difficult to find a date anytime soon.

The commitment of local clubs

To conclude, Pumpido highlighted that associations such as the Paraguayan one and clubs like Unión plan to gather all their youth coaches to watch the seminar together next Monday. “Every day you have to learn something new about football,” concluded the man from Santa Fe.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.