)
Get to know every member of the Spain Squad that will participate in the Women's World Cup this summer
Goalkeepers
Misa Rodríguez
Date of Birth: 22 June 1999
Club: Real Madrid
Has now made the Spain No 1 jersey her own after continuing to excel in goal for Real Madrid. She has gone from unknown quantity to Madrid idol in the past three years. In 2021 she attracted attention when she was targeted by misogynistic abuse after tweeting side-by-side photos of herself and Madrid men’s player Marco Asensio, with the caption: “Same passion”. Disappointingly, comments such as: “Same sexual orientation” were among the replies. The Spanish football world rallied around Rodríguez, with Asensio coming out in her defence by tweeting: “Same passion – don’t let anything or anyone stop you from saying what you think.” As a child she almost had to stop playing the game she loved because of a heart defect but successful surgery aged 13 got her back on track. Her strength of personality is one of the main reasons she is loved by everyone.
Enith Salón
Date of Birth: 24 September 2001
Club: Valencia
When several Spain players stepped away from the international fold, opportunity knocked for Enith Salón, a goalkeeper who hadn’t previously had a look-in. Although only 21, Salón has established herself as a nailed-on starter for Valencia. She doesn’t have the same status in the Spain set-up, but she doesn’t mind. “I wasn’t expecting the call-up,” Salón said in October after being brought into the squad for the first time. “It’s been a really special experience. I’ve felt more at home than I ever could have imagined.” She points to Iker Casillas’s World Cup-winning exploits for Spain’s men’s team as her inspiration for becoming a keeper. “Iker has always been a role model for me,” she says. “After his performances in South Africa in 2010, I had no doubt that I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I’ve had to work very hard to get to where I am today.” A World Cup now awaits – another dream come true.
Cata Coll
Date of Birth: 23 April 2001
Club: Barcelona
A surprise name on Spain’s World Cup list. For a few years now, she has found herself in the shadow of first-choice goalkeeper Sandra Paños at Barcelona. However, her efforts have brought her recognition from Jorge Vilda. “Cata can bring something to the team both in the here and now, and in the years to come,” Vilda says. “All our players are top competitors, no matter how young they are.” Together with club-mate Jana Fernández, Coll had to come through one of the most difficult periods in her life, when she suffered a serious knee injury in February 2022. “Having worked our way back together, Jana and I have formed a really strong bond,” Coll says. When she returned to action in March, the 22-year-old’s Barça teammates held her aloft in celebration after the final whistle. It’s a special memory for her; now, in Australia and New Zealand, she’s out to make more.
Defenders
Irene Paredes
Date of Birth: 4 July 1991
Club: Barcelona
Returned to the international fold following the mutiny against Jorge Vilda but is no longer captain. But, with or without the armband, Paredes remains a leader who people look up to, a player who gets through mountains of hard work – often unseen. Just like a mother, and in the past two years she has combined her career with one of the most special roles in life: bringing up a child. It’s a challenge she applies herself to with the same passion and care that are clear to see when she is on the pitch. Such qualities persuaded Barcelona to move for her when she was the captain at Paris Saint-Germain. “When it came to making a decision, I spent a lot of time speaking to [Barça] players in the Spain team,” Paredes says. “They spoke really highly of the club, of the project; they were a big influence on my decision, for sure.”
Ivana Andrés
Date of Birth: 13 July 1994
Club: Real Madrid
Her unfussy, effective defensive performances for club and country have persuaded Jorge Vilda to hand Andrés the Spain captaincy. She finished the season in fine form, named player of the match in the Copa de la Reina final, despite it ending in tears as Madrid lost to Atlético on penalties. “I’ve had sleepless nights because of the cup final, but in the end it is football," she says. The defender became the first ever Madrid captain when the team burst on to the scene on 1 July 2020. It’s worth recalling how she started out. Her parents signed her up for her local team because she’d spend all day kicking bottles around. She’s gone from there to wearing the armband for Real Madrid and Spain.
Ona Batlle
Date of Birth: 10 June 1999
Club: Barcelona
Shone for Manchester United last season and was one of the outstanding performers in the Women’s Super League. The defender is one of La Roja’s great survivors. In 2020 the Catalan decided to take her club career in a new direction at the toughest time possible: at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. New country, new language, new league, new friendships … and an injury making everything just that bit more difficult after joining United. So much so, that she began visiting a psychologist in England. “It’s funny; talking about my feelings in a language that isn’t my own was easy,” she says. Despite being unable to travel home because of covid, missing out on Spain squads as a result, Batlle kept on plugging away and, at last summer’s Euros, she excelled. The defender is back on familiar territory having signed for Barcelona this summer. "I have more experience now. I have travelled,” she says. Having returned to the international fold on the eve of the World Cup, Batlle will look to continue her impressive progress at the biggest stage of them all.
Olga Carmona
Date of Birth: 11 June 2000
Club: Real Madrid
Made her Sevilla debut at 15 and has long been considered one of Spanish football's most precocious talents, and at last summer’s Euros she took a major step forward in her Spain career with impressive performances against Denmark and England. She reached a landmark 100 appearances for Real Madrid last season and is grateful to her siblings for igniting her passion for the game. “My father signed my brothers up for football and I went every evening to watch them train. I ended up wanting to play so much that I said to myself: ‘Why shouldn’t I go out and train with them?’” And she got her way. Carmona was a marquee signing for Madrid in 2020, and despite having been around for so long, at 23 she is still one of the Spanish game’s most exciting prospects.
Oihane Hernández
Date of Birth: 4 May 2000
Club: Athletic Club but set to join Real Madrid on 30 June
Hailing from Sopela, a small seaside town known for its beach and fresh air, Hernández chose Athletic Club because of Bilbao’s proximity. Having excelled at the Basque club, the 23-year-old has taken a big step forwards in her career by joining Real Madrid this summer. Hernández has spoken of her shock at receiving her first senior Spain call-up last year. “I had a heap of messages on my phone,” she recalls. A highly musical individual, the defender is known for showing off her talents in the dressing room. “I’m a big music fan,” Hernández says. “I spend my days singing, dancing and strutting my stuff on TikTok.” She heads to Oceania ready to rock for La Roja on the right flank.
Rocío Gálvez
Date of Birth: 15 April 1997
Club: Real Madrid
Has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Real Madrid, whom she joined in summer 2021 as Las Blancas looked to freshen up their backline by bringing in domestic talent. It’s a transfer policy that has also benefited the Spain team. Gálvez’s career hasn’t always been a smooth one, however. She moved from club to club – playing for Real Betis, Atlético Madrid and Levante – before excelling at Madrid. Having caught Jorge Vilda’s eye, the 26-year-old earned her first call-up when Mapi León was ruled out by injury in September, and she’s been a fixture in the squad ever since. Gálvez rounded off 2022 by being voted Madrid’s player of the month for December by the club’s fans. Strong, physical and great at bringing the ball out from the back, she is reminiscent of Gerard Piqué at his best.
Laia Codina
Date of Birth: 22 January 2000
Club: Barcelona
Another Spain player who carries Barcelona’s footballing DNA. The Catalan is a young gem that Barça have been polishing since the age of 14, when she was snapped up after impressing at a youth football tournament. Codina’s leadership qualities and never-say-die attitude have led many to view the defender as a future Barça captain. "Being a leader is something that characterises me … I have always had that role,” she says. The 23-year-old has been tipped to depart on several occasions, but leaving has never crossed her mind. Her love for Barça is too great. Codina enjoyed a dream debut for Spain last year, scoring in La Roja’s win over the United States. Much is expected of her.
Midfielders
Alexia Putellas
Date of Birth: 4 February 1994
Club: Barcelona
All the talk now is about Putellas’s back-to-back Ballon d’Or and Fifa The Best awards – not to mention all the other prizes the Barcelona captain has amassed in recent times – but her success is built on foundations that go way back. In no small part, back to the role played by her father, who always dreamed of seeing his daughter be successful at Barça. After a devastating struggle with illness, his death deprived him of the chance to witness that, but everything Putellas achieves is dedicated to him. “I’m going to try not to get emotional,” she said when collecting her Ballon d’Or in 2021. “Wherever you are, this is for you, Dad.” After suffering the biggest setback of her career just before last year’s Euros, sustaining a torn ACL that ruled her out for 10 months, she says she has returned as ‘Alexia 2.0’. She will be desperate to make up for lost time at the World Cup.
Teresa Abelleira
Date of Birth: 9 January 2000
Club: Real Madrid
Claudia Zornoza
Date of Birth: 20 October 1990
Club: Real Madrid
Has fought tooth and nail to get to where she is now: competing in the Champions League with Real Madrid, and at major tournaments with Spain. At 32, she’s set to get her first taste of the biggest international event of all. “One of my great dreams is to defend my country's shirt in a competition like this,” she says. Starting in primary school as a futsal player, she had to deal with the age-old stereotypes about girls and sport. A person of a naturally nervous disposition, she tries not to draw attention to her obsessive game-day habits: going to the bathroom three times pre-match, placing her right foot on the pitch first, always wearing the same hairband, always using round studs … She came close to becoming a member of Spain’s civil guard, but finally opted to train as a teacher. She has been a vegetarian for years and her disciplined approach has won over Jorge Vilda, who has made her a fixture in Spain’s midfield.
Aitana Bonmatí
Date of Birth: 18 January 1998
Club: Barcelona
The midfielder continues to progress at speed. She was named Player of the Match in the 2021 Champions League final and then stepped up to conduct Spain's midfield at last year's Euros when Alexia Putellas was absent. She was a nominee for the 2022 Ballon d'Or and it is not hard to imagine her winning it in the future. The story behind her name? Bonmatí, the first of her two surnames, is taken from her mother. In Spain, people traditionally use their paternal surname first, but her parents were pioneers in the movement to change it. “In a lot of situations, women are given a secondary role,” Bonmatí says. “I’ve never let myself be pushed to one side.” A 1.57m battler, she has always refused to allow her diminutive stature to get in her way. Xavi Hernández was her inspiration and like the World Cup winner she has spent her whole life at Barça, playing the Cruyff way.
María Pérez
Date of Birth: 24 December 2001
Club: Barcelona
Jorge Vilda’s riskiest selection: after all, the Catalan midfielder is, technically speaking, not yet a first-team player at Barcelona. Having made fast progress since joining the Blaugrana youth set-up, Pérez got game time in both the Spanish top flight and the Women’s Champions League last season, but officially remains a member of the Barça B squad. The 21-year-old is already earning comparisons with Alexia Putellas – her great idol – although her midfield role is more like that of Patri Guijarro. “Being at Barcelona is a dream come true,” Pérez says. “I couldn’t believe it when they signed me. I’m focused on making the most of the opportunity and enjoying playing alongside some of the best players in the world.” Now, with Spain, she is set to fulfil another dream.
Irene Guerrero
Date of Birth: 12 December 1996
Name: Atlético Madrid
Everything Guerrero achieves, she dedicates to her parents. Her father, who died in 2019, was wheelchair-bound, as is her mother. “I’ve always watched them face every challenge without flinching, refusing to be fazed by adverse circumstances,” she says. “Quite the opposite.” Instilled with the same battling spirit from birth, Guerrero – whose surname translates as ‘warrior’ – is blessed with unsurpassable determination and an unshakeable desire to succeed. A lifelong Real Betis fan, she set aside her allegiances to start out at arch rivals Sevilla, before making the switch to the club she loves. “I’m very grateful to Sevilla for what they gave me, but when Betis set up a women’s team, I had no hesitation in joining,” Guerrero says. Discovered by Betis legend Rafael Gordillo, she made her name at the club, before moving on first to Levante, then Atlético Madrid.
Forwards
Marta Cardona
Date of Birth: 26 May 1995
Clubs: Atlético Madrid
Has had little luck with injuries in the past few seasons and found herself in another race to be fit for a major tournament after undergoing knee surgery at the end of March. Perhaps she drew strength from the Virgin Mary depicted on her shinpads as she has done remarkably well to recover in time. Cardona took the Liga Iberdrola by storm in 2021, but a serious knee injury brought her rapid progress to a grinding halt. “I’ve become an expert in sports psychology – I’ve had that many sessions!” she says. “And I’ve started sprouting grey hairs. When things like this happen to you, you learn to value what you have.” Despite her injuries, Jorge Vilda values her greatly.
Esther González
Date of Birth: 8 December 1992
Club: Real Madrid
Now La Roja’s first-choice No9, spearheading the team with determination – and a smile on her face. Always. But she has had to work hard to earn her status. Battling is what the forward has been doing since she took her first steps in the game. First in Huéscar, her Andalusian hometown, then in Villanueva de Algaidas, some 250km away. Twice a week, she had to make the long round trip from Huéscar with her father. She never gave up. The same goes for her Spain career. Despite being one of the Spanish league’s outstanding goalscorers, González couldn’t force her way into Jorge Vilda’s plans, and missed out on the World Cup in France. She kept on scoring goals, though, and turned the situation around. “She’s a born hard worker,” Vilda says.
Athenea del Castillo
Date of Birth: 24 October 2000 (22)
Club: Real Madrid
At last summer’s Euros, the winger showed that she has become an integral part of Spain’s group. Jorge Vilda will have had no doubts about naming her in his World Cup squad. She plays with joy and that is the way she will always be. “In my day-to-day life I am very happy," she says. "I had a coach who told me, if Athenea is happy everything goes well, the day Athenea comes out angry there is bad. So I will always stay with that, with joy.” The winger was a revelation for Madrid in 2022, and also took that year’s Arnold Clark Cup by storm with Spain, earning the MVP prize. She wasn’t actually a first-choice pick for that squad; she was only called up when Mariona Caldentey dropped out. But it was a breakthrough tournament for her.
Date of Birth: Eva Navarro 27 January 2001
Club: Atlético Madrid
“I got injured in February 2021 in Huelva – that was the first injury,” Eva Navarro recalls. “It was a real blow. I was playing really well, and when they tell you that you’ve torn your [cruciate] ligament … it’s hard to take. I made my comeback seven months later, and relapsed. My whole world fell apart; I knew I’d done my knee again. I couldn’t even leave the house. I felt scared, anxious – even when it came to just stepping out on to the street. I couldn’t go on like that, so I sought help.” Thanks to that decision, the former Levante player has a smile on her face again. She’s had a great season at Atlético Madrid, whom she joined during her recovery. “I owe so much to Atlético for showing faith in me despite the situation I was in,” the 22-year-old says. “I’m so proud to be at this club – I couldn’t be happier.” The speedy forward is getting stronger and stronger, but isn’t putting too much pressure on herself: “I’ll get back to my best – but it won’t happen if I rush it.”
Salma Paralluelo
Date of Birth: 13 November 2003
Club: Barcelona
A move from Villarreal to Barcelona last summer was a turning point in Paralluelo’s career. Up until a year ago, after all, she had juggled football and athletics. At weekends, she could be seen doing the business on both stages, helping the Playas de Castellón athletics club to victory in a mixed competition on the Saturday, before starring for Villarreal on the Sunday. Although injury finally ruled her out, Paralluelo’s inclusion in Spain’s Euro 2022 squad also had a big hand in her decision to focus on football. “Salma’s a player we’ve known for years,” Jorge Vilda says. “She offers real cutting edge and is a potential match winner.” At 5ft 9in, her height gives her an advantage; so, too, does her blistering speed. Twelve months ago, Paralluelo was a surprise call-up to the Spain squad; now, the 19-year-old is an established performer.
Mariona Caldentey
Date of Birth: 19 March 1996
Club: Barcelona
The Barcelona forward always has a smile on her face and, after returning to the international fold, one thing is for sure: Caldentey will be the life and soul of Jorge Vilda’s squad at the World Cup. The forward is happiness personified – even when she’s injured. Caldentey plays the piano, a pastime she finds therapeutic. She did so during lockdown, far away from her native Mallorca, far away from her family. “My grandmother, María, taught me to play,” she says. “So when I’m sitting at the piano, it reminds me of home, of family, of my childhood. It relaxes me.” Was one of the 15 players who made themselves unavailable for international duty last year. Only three were recalled for this World Cup and Caldentey was one of them.
Jennifer Hermoso
Date of Birth: 9 May 1990
Club: Pachuca
One of the veterans of this Spain squad. The forward, who can also play in midfield, has gone from playing on the streets of Carabanchel, a deprived area of Madrid, to being invited to the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris as a Ballon d’Or finalist. Her tough beginnings now feel a long way off. Encouraged by her grandfather, who was a goalkeeper at Atlético Madrid, she went to trials at the club. From there, she joined Rayo Vallecano, before setting off to earn a living from her great passion in Sweden. Later, she signed a big-money contract at Paris St-Germain, where she spent a year. Having had Hermoso in their ranks earlier in her career, Barça had no hesitation when the chance came up to sign her for a second time in 2019, and she didn’t disappoint on her return to Catalonia. Hermoso now plays in Mexico, where she continues score regularly. Her surname translates as ‘beautiful’ – and there can be no better description of the way she plays.
Written by Amalia Fra (as.com) for The Guardian
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)