Unai Lema – World Champion Mindset & New Opportunities

What does it feel like to become a World Champion at just 20 years old?

In Part 2 of the Waterpolo Expert Talk with Unai Lema, we continue our conversation about his development as a player, his experiences with the Spanish junior national teams and the new chapter awaiting him in Germany.

One of Unai's strongest memories is winning the U20 World Championship with Spain. He describes a team that repeatedly had to fight its way back into games – but always believed it could find a way to win. For Unai, that confidence wasn't about arrogance. It came from trust, togetherness and knowing that his teammates would continue fighting regardless of the situation.

But development isn't only about winning.

Unai also talks about difficult moments in his young career, including not being selected for a Spanish national team. Instead of seeing the decision as proof that he wasn't good enough, he spoke to the coach, identified what he needed to improve and went back to work.

We then look ahead to his move from CN Atlètic-Barceloneta to ASC Duisburg. Unai explains how he prepared for playing abroad, what former teammates told him about adapting to a new country and why Duisburg became an attractive option.

Having already watched the team and knowing goalkeeper Didac from school, he had a connection to the club before signing. But his ambitions go beyond playing in the German league: competing with Duisburg in the Euro Cup and gaining experience at European club level were important factors in his decision.

In this episode:

• Pressure versus privilege when representing Spain
• Unai's first international championship
• Becoming U20 World Champion
• Why team culture matters in difficult moments
• Learning from disappointment and non-selection
• How Unai approaches individual setbacks
• Preparing to leave Barcelona and live abroad
• Why ASC Duisburg became the right choice
• His perspective on the German Water Polo Bundesliga
• Euro Cup ambitions with Duisburg
• Why German water polo is becoming more attractive
• The importance of defence and team spirit across different sports
• Why water polo deserves greater media recognition
• Quick Fire: Barcelona, Duisburg, Felipe Perrone, data and instinct

Unai also shares an interesting perspective on the visibility of water polo. Despite Spain's international success in both men's and women's water polo, he believes the sport still receives far less recognition than it deserves. He sees progress, including more domestic league matches being broadcast, but says there is still a long way to go – not only in Spain, but internationally.

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Unai Lema on the Waterpolo Expert Talk Podcast.

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