Spain women's national football team
Shirt badge/Association crest | |||
Nickname(s) | La Roja (The Red [One])[1] Las Soñadoras (The Dreamers)[2] | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Royal Spanish Football Federation | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Jorge Vilda | ||
Captain | Marta Torrejón | ||
Most caps | Marta Torrejón (76) | ||
Top scorer | Verónica Boquete (38) | ||
FIFA code | ESP | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 13 ![]() | ||
Highest | 13 (March–June 2017) | ||
Lowest | 21 (June–August 2004, March 2008) | ||
First international | |||
Unofficial![]() ![]() (Murcia, Spain; 21 February 1971) Official ![]() ![]() (A Guarda, Spain; 5 February 1983) | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Palamós, Spain; 20 March 1994) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Gandía, Spain; 2 June 1996) | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2015) | ||
Best result | Group Stage (2015) | ||
European Championship | |||
Appearances | 3 (first in 1997) | ||
Best result | Semi-finals (1997) |
The Spain women's national football team (Spanish: Selección femenina de fútbol de España) represents Spain in international women's football.[3] Although not considered a powerhouse like it's male counterpart, it has achieved some success like reaching the European Championship's semifinals in 1997. Spain's youth team have enjoyed a much larger success in recent times, like winning their two consecutive UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship in 2010 and 2011, as well as reaching four consecutive finals from 2014 to 2017, winning the 2015 edition of the tournament. At the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, it has reached the final once in 2014 and placed third place in 2010 and 2016, which brings hope to the senior team.[4]
In 2017 the national team won its first international trophy, when they participated for the first time in the Algarve Cup winning the tournament, defeating Canada in the final.
History
Early years
After underground women's football clubs started appearing in Spain around 1970 one of its instigators, Rafael Muga, decided to create a national team. It was an unofficial project as football was considered an unsuitable sport for women by both the Royal Spanish Football Federation and National Movement's Women's Section, which organized women's sports in Francoist Spain. When asked about the initiative in January 1971 RFEF president José Luis Pérez Payá answered I'm not against women's football, but I don't like it either. I don't think it's feminine from a esthetic point of view. Women are not favored wearing shirt and trousers. Any regional dress would fit them better.[5]
One month later, on 21 February 1971, the unofficial Spanish national team, including Conchi Sánchez, who played professionally in the Italian league, made its debut in Murcia's La Condomina against Portugal, ending in a 3–3 draw. The team wasn't allowed to wear RFEF's crest and the referee couldn't wear an official uniform either. On July 15, with a 5-days delay for transfer issues, it played its first game abroad against Italy in Turin's Stadio Comunale, suffering an 8–1 defeat. It was then invited to the 2nd edition of unofficial women's world cup (Mundialito 1981), but RFEF forbid them to take part in the competition.[6] Despite these conditions Spain was entrusted hosting the 1972 World Cup. RFEF vetoed the project, and the competition was cancelled and disbanded. The unofficial Spanish team itself broke up shortly after.
1980s: Officiality of the team
After the transition to democracy in the second half of the decade RFEF finally accepted women's football in November 1980, creating first a national cup and next a national team, which finally made its debut under coach Teodoro Nieto on 5 February 1983 in A Guarda, Pontevedra. The opponent was again Portugal, which defeated Spain 0–1. The team subsequently played 2-leg friendlies against France and Switzerland drawing with both opponents in Aranjuez and Barcelona and losing in Perpignan before it finally clinched its first victory in Zürich (0–1).[7] On 27 April 1985 it played its first official match in the 1987 European Championship's qualification, losing 1–0 against Hungary. After losing the first four matches Spain defeated Switzerland and drew with Italy to end third. The team also ended in its group's bottom positions in the subsequent 1989 and 1991 qualifiers. After the former Nieto was replaced by Ignacio Quereda, who has coached the team since September 1, 1988. Teodoro Nieto left the most International Footballer Conchi sanchez (Amancio) out of the Spanish Team even when the player was the first Capitain during the 70s, She was playing in Italy at the time winning championships and Italian Cups, there was not substantial reasons to leave such extraordinary player out at the peak of her career, the damaged was done to such brilliant player who loved to play for her country and fully deserved more respect and recognition.
1990s and 2000s: Growing up
The 1995 Euro qualifying marked an improvement as Spain ended 2nd, one point from England, which qualified for the final tournament. In these qualifiers Spain attained its biggest victory to date, a 17–0 over Slovenia. In the 1997 Euro qualifying it made a weaker performance, including a record 0–8 loss against Sweden in Gandia, but the European Championship was expanded to eight teams and Spain still made it to the repechage, where it defeated England on a 3–2 aggregate to qualify for the competition for the first time. In the first stage the team drew 1–1 against France, lost 0–1 against host Sweden, and beat 1–0 Russia to qualify on goal average over France to the semifinals, where it was defeated 2–1 by Italy. All three goals were scored by Ángeles Parejo.
This success was followed by a long series of unsuccessful qualifiers. In the 1999 World Cup's qualifying Spain ended last for the first time, not winning a single game. In the 2001 Euro's it made it to the repechage, where it suffered a 3–10 aggregate defeat against Denmark. In the 2003 World Cup's it again ended last despite starting with a 6–1 win over Iceland. In the 2005 Euro's, where a 9–1 win over Belgium was followed by a 5-game non scoring streak, it ended 3rd behind Denmark and Norway. In the 2007 World Cup's the team again ended 3rd behind Denmark and Finland despite earning 7 more points.
In the 2009 Euro's Spain made its better performance since the 1995 qualifiers, narrowly missing qualification as England clinched the top position by overcoming a 2–0 in the final match's second half. Spain had to play the repechage, where it lost both games against the Netherlands. In the 2011 World Cup's Spain again ended 2nd, with no repechage, after England again overcame a half-time 2–0 in their second confrontation.
2010s: First World Cup
Spain achieved 16 years later a place for the final stage of a European Championship. The team qualified for the UEFA Women's Euro 2013, after beating Scotland in the qualifiers playoff. In the group stage, a win over England and a draw against Russia was enough to qualify for the quarterfinals, where it was eliminated by Norway.
Two years later, Spain qualified for the first time ever to a World Cup, winning nine of its ten matches of the qualifying round. In the group stage of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Their campaign, however, ended up being a disaster. Spain managed only a 1–1 draw into the weakest team in the group, Costa Rica, before losing 0–1 to Brazil. In the last match with South Korea, they still lost 1–2 after an initial lead, becoming the worst European team in the tournament. After the World Cup, the 23 players on the roster issued a collective statement for the end of Ignacio Quereda’s reign as head coach.[8] Later that summer, Quereda stepped down and was replaced by Jorge Vilda, who had previously coached the U-19 team, and was on the shortlist for the 2014 FIFA World Coach of the Year.[9][10]
Spain has achieved to qualify for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 by winning all the matches and ahead in 11 points to the second classified.
In 2017 the national team team participated for the first time in the Algarve Cup winning the tournament.[11]
Competitive record
World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup record | FIFA World Cup Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
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Did Not Qualify | 1991 UEFA Women's Championship | |||||||||||||
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UEFA Women's Euro 1995 | ||||||||||||||
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6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | |||||||||
![]() |
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 11 | |||||||||
![]() |
8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 14 | |||||||||
![]() |
8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 4 | |||||||||
![]() |
Group Stage | 20th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 2 | |
![]() |
TBD | ||||||||||||||
Total | 1/7 | 0 Titles | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 111 | 41 |
Olympic Games
Year | Round | Position | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Did Not Qualify | |||||||
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Total | 0/6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | - |
European Championship
UEFA Women's Championship record | UEFA Euro Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1984 | Did Not Enter | Declined Participation | |||||||||||||
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Did Not Qualify | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | ||||||||
![]() |
8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | |||||||||
![]() |
6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 13 | |||||||||
![]() |
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |||||||||
![]() ![]() |
Semi-Finals | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 15 | |
![]() |
Did Not Qualify | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 17 | ||||||||
![]() |
8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 10 | |||||||||
![]() |
8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 7 | |||||||||
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Quarter-Finals | 7th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 43 | 14 | |
![]() |
Quarter-Finals | 8th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 2 | |
Total | 3/12 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 76 | 30 | 17 | 29 | 192 | 101 |
Team
Current squad
The following players have been called for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017.[12]
- Caps and goals as of 31 July 2017
Head coach: Jorge Vilda
Recent call-ups
The following players were named to a squad in the last twelve months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Sara Serrat | September 10, 1995 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
GK | Esther Sullastres | March 20, 1993 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Ivana Andrés ![]() |
July 13, 1994 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | María Alharilla Casado | November 13, 1990 | 3 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Andrea Falcón | February 28, 1997 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Patricia Guijarro | May 17, 1998 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Sonia Bermúdez | November 18, 1984 | 61 | 34 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Verónica Boquete | April 9, 1987 | 56 | 38 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
Previous squads
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Coaching staff
|
List of Spain women's national football team managers
|
Results and fixtures
- For all past match results of the national team, see single-season articles and the team's results page
The following matches were played or are scheduled to be played by the national team in the current or upcoming season.
Win Draw Loss
Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|
September 15, 2016 | ![]() |
Montenegro ![]() |
13–0 | Euro 2017 qualifying |
September 20, 2016 | ![]() |
Finland ![]() |
5–0 | |
October 25, 2016 | ![]() |
England ![]() |
1–2 | Friendlies |
November 26, 2016 | ![]() |
France ![]() |
1–0 | |
March 1, 2017 | ![]() |
Japan ![]() |
2–1 | 2017 Algarve Cup |
March 3, 2017 | ![]() |
Norway ![]() |
3–0 | |
March 6, 2017 | ![]() |
Iceland ![]() |
0–0 | |
March 8, 2017 | ![]() |
Canada ![]() |
1–0 | |
April 8, 2017 | ![]() |
Belgium ![]() |
1–4 | Friendlies |
June 10, 2017 | ![]() |
Brazil ![]() |
1–2 | |
June 30, 2017 | ![]() |
Belgium ![]() |
7–0 | |
July 19, 2017 | ![]() |
Portugal ![]() |
2–0 | Euro 2017 |
July 23, 2017 | ![]() |
England ![]() |
0–2 | |
July 27, 2017 | ![]() |
Scotland ![]() |
0–1 | |
July 30, 2017 | ![]() |
Austria ![]() |
0–0 |
Overall official record
Honours
Titles
Champions: 2017
Other awards
- Premios Nacionales del Deporte (National Sports Awards): Baron de Güell Cup (2014)[13]
Statistics
Most capped Spanish players
- Still active national team players in bold.
# | Player | Career | Caps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Marta Torrejón | 2007– | 76 | 9 |
2 | Arantza del Puerto | 1990–2005 | 71 | ?? |
3 | Mar Prieto | 1989–2000 | 62 | 27 |
4 | Sonia Bermúdez | 2005–2017 | 61 | 34 |
5 | Rosa Castillo | 1993–2000 | 57 | ?? |
6 | Verónica Boquete | 2005–2017 | 56 | 38 |
Silvia Meseguer | 2008– | 55 | 5 | |
8 | Ruth García | 2005–2016 | 52 | 4 |
Top Spain goalscorers
- Still active national team players in bold.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Vero_Boquete_Euro_2013b.jpg/220px-Vero_Boquete_Euro_2013b.jpg)
# | Player | Career | Goals | Caps | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Verónica Boquete | 2005–2017 | 38 | 56 | 0.679 |
2 | Sonia Bermúdez | 2005–2017 | 34 | 61 | 0.557 |
3 | Adriana Martín | 2005–2015 | 33 | 37 | 0.892 |
4 | Mar Prieto | 1989–2000 | 27 | 62 | 0.435 |
5 | Ángeles Parejo | 1989–1998 | |||
6 | Jennifer Hermoso | 2011– | 18 | 47 | 0.383 |
Hat-tricks
Player | Competition | Against | Home/Away | Result | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mar Prieto7 | 1995 EURO Q | ![]() |
Home | 17–0 | 20 March 1994 |
Itziar Bakero | |||||
Laura Del Río5 | 2005 EURO Q | ![]() |
Home | 7–0 | 29 February 2004 |
Adriana Martín5 | 2007 WC Q | ![]() |
Home | 7–0 | 30 March 2006 |
Adriana Martín4 | 2011 WC Q | ![]() |
Away | 0–13 | 19 September 2009 |
Sonia Bermúdez | |||||
Ana "Willy" Romero | |||||
Adriana Martín | 2011 WC Q | ![]() |
Away | 0–5 | 21 November 2009 |
Adriana Martín4 | 2011 WC Q | ![]() |
Home | 9–0 | 24 June 2010 |
Verónica Boquete | 2013 EURO Q | ![]() |
Away | 1–10 | 17 September 2011 |
María Paz Vilas7 | 2013 EURO Q | ![]() |
Home | 14–0 | 5 April 2012 |
Natalia Pablos5 | 2015 WC Q | ![]() |
Home | 12–0 | 13 February 2014 |
Sonia Bermúdez | 2015 WC Q | ![]() |
Away | 0–10 | 10 April 2014 |
Jennifer Hermoso | |||||
Sonia Bermúdez 5 | 2017 EURO Q | ![]() |
Home | 13–0 | 15 September 2016 |
Verónica Boquete4 |
4 Player scored 4 goals
5 Player scored 5 goals
7 Player scored 7 goals
Clean sheets
- Still active national team players in bold.
# | Player | Career | Clean Sheets | Caps | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ainhoa Tirapu | 2007–2015 | 20 | 46 | 0.435 |
2 | Roser Serra | 1991–1998 | 10? | 33 | 0.303? |
3 | Sandra Paños | 2011– | 9 | 19 | 0.474 |
4 | Dolores Gallardo | 2012– | 6 | 17 | 0.353 |
5 | Ana Ruiz | 1984–1988 | 4 | 17 | 0.235 |
Elixabete Capa | 1997–2005 | 4 | ?? | ?? |
Progression
FIFA Women's World Rankings
|
UEFA Women's National Team Coefficient Ranking
|
Youth teams
Under-20
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002: | did not qualify | 2004: | 1st round | 2006: | did not qualify |
2008: | did not qualify | 2010: | did not qualify | 2012: | did not qualify |
2014: | did not qualify | 2016: | 5th | 2018: | TBD |
Under-19
UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002: | Final Round | 2003: | Final Round | 2004: | ![]() |
2005: | Second Round | 2006: | Second Round | 2007: | Final Round |
2008: | Final Round | 2009: | Second Round | 2010: | Final Round |
2011: | Final Round | 2012: | Runner-up | 2013: | did not qualify |
2014: | Runner-up | 2015: | Runner-up | 2016: | Runner-up |
2017: | TBD |
Under-18
UEFA Women's Under-18 Championship | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998: | did not qualify | 1999: | did not qualify | 2000: | Runner-up | 2001: | 4th (last edition) |
Under-17
- FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008: | did not qualify | 2010: | Third Place | 2012: | did not qualify |
2014: | Runner-up | 2016: | Third Place | 2018: | TBD |
- UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship
UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008: | did not qualify | 2009: | Runner-up | 2010: | ![]() |
2011: | ![]() |
2012: | did not qualify | 2013: | Third Place |
2014: | Runner-up | 2015: | ![]() |
2016: | Runner-up |
2017: | Runner-up |
Under-16
There is also a women's national team that represents Spain in international football in under-16 categories and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. This team usually participates each year in UEFA Women U-16 Development Tournament (although it is not an official tournament) with remarkable success[16]
Spanish autonomous women's football teams
These teams from several Autonomous communities of Spain are not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA and therefore they are only allowed to play friendly matches.
See also
- Spain women's national beach soccer team
- Spain women's national futsal team
- Women's football in Spain
References
- ^ "Spain's women add to La Roja euphoria". FIFA. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
- ^ the RFEF will encourage the 'dreamers'
- ^ "Why Spain is absent from the World Cup". Fox Soccer. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
- ^ "Equalizer Soccer – Laura del Rio enjoying new found freedom". Equalizersoccer.com. 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
- ^ The underground origin of the women's national team. Marca, 23 April 2013. David Menayo
- ^ Conchi Amancio's national team shook up the 1970s Spain. As Color, 17 July 2012
- ^ The official baptism of the women's national team. Marca, 14 May 2013. David Menayo.
- ^ Spain players call firing Ignacio Quereda women's World Cup exit
- ^ "Quereda's reign as Spain coach ends after 27 years". Equalizer Soccer. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ "Vilda appointed coach of Spain's women's team". FIFA.com. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ Champions of Algarve Cup
- ^ UEFA Women's Euro 2017 squad
- ^ The Spanish women's national team honored at the 2014 National Sports Awards
- ^ UEFA Women's National Team Coefficient Overview
- ^ Women's Rank Football (alternative ranking)
- ^ The U16s debut with a brilliant victory at the UEFA Development Tournament
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)