Saudi Arabia women’s national team
Head coach and technical supervisor within a developing national-team project.
About
A career built through learning, adaptation and responsibility.
From youth football in Lleida to the UEFA Women’s Champions League and national-team projects in Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.
Biography
Football as a lifelong process of development.
Born in Lleida in 1986 and based in Balaguer, Lluís Cortés developed as a player at UE Lleida, where he reached the first team in Spain’s second division. He later focused his career on coaching and technical leadership.
His early work covered youth football, women’s football, goalkeeper coaching, regional teams and coach education. In 2017 he joined FC Barcelona Women as an analyst, became assistant coach and was appointed head coach in 2019.
With FC Barcelona he won the league, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Super Cup and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, completing the first treble in Spanish women’s football. He later led Ukraine WNT and, from December 2023, Saudi Arabia WNT.
Career timeline
Progress through different roles and levels of the game.
Ukraine women’s national team
Head coach and responsible for the women’s football development project.
FC Barcelona Women · Head coach
Domestic success, a first UWCL title, a historic treble, and the beginning of Barça’s rise to the top of European women’s football.
FC Barcelona Women · Analyst & assistant coach
Progression through analysis and first-team coaching roles.
Catalan regional teams
Head coach across youth women’s teams and assistant coach with the senior side.
Foundations in coaching and education
Youth coaching, women’s football, goalkeeper coaching and coach education in Catalonia.
Selected honours
Team success and individual recognition.
UEFA Women’s Champions League
Winner with FC Barcelona.
Spanish league
Two league titles with FC Barcelona.
Copa de la Reina
Two cup titles with FC Barcelona.
UEFA Women’s Coach of the Year
Individual award.
FIFA The Best
Nominated for the women’s coach award.
IFFHS recognition
Women’s football coach of the year.
Education
Academic and professional preparation.
National football coaching qualification, 2013–2014.
INEFC Lleida, 2009–2011.
Business Administration and Management, EAE, 2009–2012.
Degree, UOC, 2006–2009.
Degree focused on sports performance, INEFC Lleida, 2004–2008.