Fran Herruzo Torres
PhD in Health and Sports Psychology · Licensed psychologist, COPC no. 23622
PhD Cum Laude in Health and Sports Psychology from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Sports psychologist working with athletes and coaches, university lecturer and researcher in mental health in sport. He has over 10 years of international experience as a professional football coach, at clubs in Spain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Latvia, and as head of the goalkeeping and psychology departments.
Education
PhD Cum Laude in Health and Sports PsychologyUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Transnationalism, migration processes and mental health in football coaches2025
Master's Degree in Sport and Physical Activity PsychologyUNED
2015–2017
Master's Degree in Substance Use DisordersUniversitat de Barcelona
2018–2019- Bachelor's Degree in Psychology
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, double specialization in Health Psychology and Adult Clinical Psychology
2010–2014 
UEFA B football coaching licenseRoyal Spanish Football Federation, no. 3482
2014
Professional clubs
2026–present
Catgas Energia Santa Coloma
Ittihad Club (Saudi Arabia)Assistant coach, reserve team
2024–2025
2024
Riga FC (Latvia)
2022–2023
Al Rayyan SC (Qatar)
2021–2022
Al Fateh SC (Saudi Arabia)
2020–2021
Deportivo Alavés
2016–2020
FC Barcelona
Professional and academic experience
psicoaction
Co-founder and health and sport psychologist
2014–present- Substitute lecturer, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Health Sciences. Psychometrics, third year of the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology
2026–present 
Lecturer, EUSES, Universitat de GironaPsychology Applied to Physical Activity and Sport, Bachelor's Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences
2025–2026
Internship supervisor
Master's in Sport and Physical Activity Psychology (UAB), Master's in Sports Psychology (UNIR), Bachelor's in Psychology (UAB) and Bachelor's in Psychology (Universitat Carlemany)
2025–presentMaster's thesis and final-year project supervisor
Master's in Sport and Physical Activity Psychology (UAB) and Bachelor's in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (EUSES, Universitat de Girona)
2025–present
Researcher, Sport Psychology Research Group (GEPE, UAB)R&D project HENAC, Healthy Environments towards High Sports Performance. Research line: migration, transnationalism and coaches' mental health
2023–presentPeer reviewer
Psychology of Sport and Exercise and Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte
2025–present
Asociación Promoción y Desarrollo SocialAddiction prevention specialist in Barcelona Provincial Council programs
2019–2020
Kaptiva Sports AcademySports psychologist for the U18 and U16 teams
2017–2019
Conferences and professional training
Recommendations for clubs to ease coaches' migration process
IV International Congress on Football, Innovation and Psychology, Santiago de Compostela
2025Psychological intervention with football goalkeepers
Goalkeeping World Congress, Madrid
2025Goalkeepers Coaching Workshop
Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Riyadh
2025International Course for Goalkeeper Coaches
Mi Portería, online
2021International Goalkeeper Coaching Workshop
International Goalkeeper Coaches Conference, Poland
2021Lecturer on Level I, II and III football coaching courses
CENAFE, Barcelona
2018
Registration
Licensed psychologist no. 23622Official College of Psychology of Catalonia (COPC)
2014
Who he works with
Athletes
He works with athletes of any age and level to improve their performance and enjoyment: competition anxiety, pressure, mental blocks, combining studies and sport, injuries, retirement from sport, etc.
Coaches and coaching staff
He works with elite football coaches in Spain and abroad: handling results, leadership, decision-making and mental health.
Football goalkeepers
His more than ten years of experience as a goalkeeper coach mean he knows the position inside out. His psychological work is specific to goalkeepers: handling mistakes, attention control, staying focused for the whole match, managing thoughts and competing for a starting place.
Migration in sport
He specialises in helping athletes and coaches who are far from home to handle the challenges of life as a migrant: loneliness, social isolation, difficulties adapting and decision-making, among others.
Health Psychology
Stress, anxiety and addictive behaviors, with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Sports
Football, futsal, basketball, roller hockey, field hockey, athletics, tennis, padel, table tennis, swimming, synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating, among others.
Scientific publications
Football makes me sick: an autoethnography of a professional football coach
Herruzo, F., Jordana, A., Feliu, J. & Torregrossa, M. (2026). (under review)
Transnacionalismo, Procesos Migratorios y Salud Mental en Entrenadores de Fútbol
Herruzo, F. (2025). Tesis doctoral, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Read the article on the blog (Spanish) →Where have I ended up? Migratory experiences of coaches in the Arabian Peninsula
Herruzo, F., Jordana, A., & Torregrossa, M. (2025). International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 20(5), 1804–1813
Read the article on the blog (Spanish) →Transnacionalismo y procesos migratorios de entrenadores y entrenadoras profesionales: una revisión sistemática de mapeo
Herruzo, F., Jordana, A., & Torregrossa, M. (2024). Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte, 19(61)
Read the article on the blog (Spanish) →
Specialties
Professional experience at clubs
Al Fateh SC 
Catgas Energia Santa Coloma 
FC Barcelona 
Al Fateh SC 
Catgas Energia Santa Coloma, Copa Catalunya 2026 
Deportivo Alavés 
Al Rayyan SC 
Girona FC 
Ittihad Club
Prefer to have therapy in English? Fran Herruzo works as an English-speaking psychologist in Barcelona, in person or online.
Book your first session
Pick a day and time in the calendar or message us on WhatsApp. We see people in Ripollet, in Barcelona and online.
You can also call us at 93 146 44 64