CIEE HS Summer Abroad: Soccer & Mental Performance in Lisbon

Train your mind and your game in Portugal, one of the world’s great soccer nations.

Great soccer players rely on more than technical skills; they need the tools to perform under pressure. Lisbon is the ideal place to cultivate that mindset. Here, you can practice daily, explore legendary clubs and elite training centers, and immerse yourself in a soccer culture that has helped shape some of the game’s biggest stars. Alongside fellow Global Navigators, you’ll obtain skills to strengthen your game on and off the field.

Experience sports psychology in action as you learn how athletes build motivation, manage stress, and sharpen their focus to perform at their best. Through classroom studies and daily time on the pitch with local peers and Global Navigators, you’ll apply these techniques to your own performance. Visit the legendary Benfica Stadium and Museum, tour Portugal’s National High Performance Center in Jamor, and step inside the Cristiano Ronaldo Sporting Academy to discover how world-class athletes train both body and mind.

Step off the field to experience Portugal’s rich culture and history. Wander the fairytale streets of Sintra, where colorful palaces, lush gardens, and misty hills have earned this UNESCO World Heritage Site its magical reputation, then paint your own traditional Portuguese azulejo tile in a hands-on workshop. Your summer in Portugal will not only be a blast, but it will help prepare you for success in college and beyond.