Dr. Catarina Bajanca is a Portuguese applied sport scientist, researcher, and recognised female football specialist, working across elite performance, player wellbeing, and modern monitoring systems. She is an ISSPF faculty member, contributing her expertise to practitioner education and helping translate sport science into practical coaching and performance decisions within the women’s game.
She is currently completing a Doctorate in Human Kinetics (2021–2027) at the Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, building on a Master’s in Sports Training (Football specialisation). Her applied qualifications include the UEFA Fitness Coach A Diploma (2025) and Portuguese Football Coach Grade II (2020), reinforcing her ability to work fluently in both sport science and coaching environments.
Catarina works at Sport Lisboa e Benfica, where she is Lead Sports Scientist for Women’s Football, supporting the pathway from youth to first team. Her work centres on external load monitoring, individualised weekly targets, analysis of match and training demands to support periodisation, and multidisciplinary collaboration to improve player availability and readiness. She also leads innovation and methodology work, strengthening data processes and reporting to support clearer, faster decision-making.
Alongside her club role, she contributes to the wider women’s game as a Women’s High Performance Advisory Group member with European Football Clubs (UEFA), bringing a research-informed, practitioner-led perspective to elite women’s football development.
- Languages Spoken
- Portuguese
- Content Feature
- Load Management, Testing & Monitoring, Soccer Science