Spain already has its world megastars

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The team led by Kenio Gonzalo revalidated the championship won by the team led by Barcelona player Claudia Pina four years earlier. In addition, Spain adds its second World Cup in this historic 2022 after the World Cup trophy lifted by the U-20 team in August. To achieve this success, our champions have had the support of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and Iberdrola in its commitment to women’s sport.

It stands out to see how such young footballers have assumed concepts such as defending themselves with the ball, looking for the game between the lines and knowing how to read when the rival is strong in the match. Spain knows how to do that and much more. Colombia was a tough opponent in the final, as was Germany in the semifinals and Japan in the quarters. In all the matches, the team led by Kenio Gonzalo suffered until the end but took the glory.

“What are we? A team. What team? Spain. What are we going to do? Play, fight and win.” With this war cry, the players of the Spanish U-17 women’s team jumped onto the pitch to make history. More than a team is a family. A group of friends who have known how to sacrifice themselves for collective success and who have overcome any adversity with determination and humility.

The best example of camaraderie of this team has been experienced Nina Pouwho suffered a torn ligament in her knee during the competition and saw how her teammates put her shirt on “Sandy”, the mascot and talisman of this group.

“The gesture that my teammates had towards me, by putting my shirt on Sandy, was very nice and that prompted me to support the team to the fullest and be with them at all times,” said the soccer player.

For its part, Marina Artero, captain of the National Team, described the moment of raising the cup as an accumulation of emotions. Artero highlighted the future that lies ahead. “We have an incredible future, if we keep working from humility and training hard we can do great things”, he commented.

Kenya Gonzalez, Spanish coach who has been dedicated to professional men’s and women’s football for more than 25 years, fulfilled a dream by uniting so much talent and winning the world championship. “The most important value that these players have had is that they have allowed themselves to be trained, they knew it was difficult, but they were totally convinced of what they wanted,” said González.

The coach has witnessed the transformation that women’s football has undergone in Spain: “In recent years there has been a great change. The first thing has been the arrival of the sponsors and the most important has been Iberdrola, and that subsequently those resources They have been well managed, with a good talent modernization program that has generated the successes of Spanish women’s football”.

Successes such as the U-17 World Cup and other titles recently achieved by our teams in lower categories, make us see the future of the women’s team with optimism. Thanks to the talent and sacrifice of our players, the work of our coaches and the support of Iberdrola as the main promoter of women’s football in our country, we can ensure, without fear of being wrong, that the future is ours.

Vicky Lopez (Madrid, 2006) attends AS after proclaiming herself U-17 world champion with the Spanish National Team and being chosen MVP of the tournament.

What does this World Cup mean for this generation?

We are very happy and these days we have seen the happiness of each one of us having won the World Cup after losing the European final in Bosnia. We are very proud.

Has that European thorn been removed?

When we lost we made a promise to win the World Cup and we have achieved it.

What has been the secret to achieve this title?

The unity and the family that we have created from the first training sessions in Alicante to the World Cup final has been reflected on the pitch.

He was MVP of the tournament, did he imagine that everything would go so well?

No, you go with your mind to work, contribute as much as possible to the team and win the world championship. I don’t focus on individual trophies, but I am happy to have achieved it and to thank my teammates and coaching staff.

In addition, she is the youngest of the team, what have her teammates and the coach told her about her performance in this World Cup?

They have all congratulated me and have stressed that I continue to work with humility and sacrifice, that this has just begun.

Does it scare you how fast you are breaking barriers in football?

I am calm, I work every day at the club where I am and it helps me learn from all my teammates, I am focused on that.

Will Barça have gotten the message to consolidate it in the first team?

I don’t know, what everyone in my club has done is congratulate me. I am really looking forward to joining the team to continue working for the remainder of the season.

How important is Iberdrola for women’s sport to continue growing?

It is a company that contributes a lot to women’s football, it gives it an impact and for me and for all of us it is very important that there are entities that make women’s football grow.

^{*This content sponsored by IBERDROLA has been prepared by Diario AS.}