Mapi León facts for kids
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León in 2024
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | María Pilar León Cebrián | ||
| Date of birth | 13 June 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Zaragoza, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back, centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Barcelona | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2011 | Prainsa Zaragoza B | ||
| 2011–2013 | Prainsa Zaragoza | 64 | (6) |
| 2013–2014 | Espanyol | 30 | (4) |
| 2014–2017 | Atlético Madrid | 84 | (4) |
| 2017– | Barcelona | 185 | (13) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2016–2022 | Spain | 54 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 March 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 October 2022 (UTC) |
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María Pilar León Cebrián (born 13 June 1995), known as Mapi León, is a Spanish professional footballer. She plays as a defender for Liga F club Barcelona. Mapi also played for the Spain national team until 2022.
Mapi León started her football journey with her hometown club, Prainsa Zaragoza. She then moved to Espanyol and Atlético Madrid. At Atlético, her coach helped her change from a left-back to a centre-back. While playing for Atlético, Mapi won her first league title and the Copa de la Reina.
In 2017, Mapi León made history. She became the first player in Spanish women's football to be transferred for a fee. Barcelona paid 50,000 euros to sign her from Atlético Madrid. With Barcelona, she has won many titles. These include four Copas de la Reina, three league titles, and two Supercopa Femenina. She also played in three Champions League finals. She won the 2021 Champions League. This win was part of Barcelona's first ever treble, meaning they won three major titles in one season.
Mapi León also played for the Spanish national team. She first played for Spain in 2016. She took part in three big international tournaments. These were the 2017 UEFA Women's Euro, the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, and the UEFA Women's Euro 2022. In 2022, she decided not to play for the Spanish National Team anymore. She felt the conditions for players were not fair.
Contents
About Mapi León's Early Life
María Pilar León Cebrián was born on 13 June 1995. Her parents are Javier and Pilar. Mapi grew up with her older brother in La Almozara, a part of Zaragoza.
Mapi started playing volleyball when she was seven. She also played many other sports as a child, like baseball. Later, she played futsal for a local team called Gran Vía. She played as a winger in futsal. Around this time, she was offered a scholarship for an art school. However, she chose to focus on football instead.
A former director from Zaragoza CFF, David Magaña, discovered Mapi. He saw her and her brother Javi playing football while shopping. She began training with the club when she was 11 years old.
Mapi León's Club Career
Playing for Prainsa Zaragoza (2011–2013)
Mapi León played for the B team of Prainsa Zaragoza for two years. She then made her debut in the Primera División at age 16. Her first match with Zaragoza was against Barcelona.
In 2013, Zaragoza reached the final of the Copa de la Reina. They played against FC Barcelona, which would later become Mapi's club. In her last game with Zaragoza, Mapi started the final. Zaragoza lost 4–0 to Barcelona. Barcelona won their first ever domestic double that day. In 2013, Mapi was recognized as one of Spain's most promising young footballers. She was named to the "Golden 11" of Futbol Draft. She received this honor two more times in her career.
Playing for Espanyol (2013–2014)
At 18, Mapi León joined RCD Espanyol in 2013. She stayed there for only one season. She won her first trophy with Espanyol. They beat FC Barcelona to win the Copa Catalunya. Around this time, she started getting called up to the senior national team. She also caught the eye of Atlético Madrid. Atlético had finished 3rd in the league in the 2012–13 season.
Playing for Atlético Madrid (2014–2017)
In 2014, Mapi León joined Atlético Madrid. In her first season, Atlético finished second in the league. Barcelona won the league that year. This meant both Atlético and Mapi would play in the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time. In 2015, Mapi played her first UWCL match against Russian team Zorky Krasnogorsk. Atlético lost the first game 2–0. However, they won the next game 3–0 to win the overall match. They were later defeated by Lyon in the Round of 16.
While at Atlético, Mapi changed her playing position. She moved from being a left-back to a centre-back. This change happened because of her coach, Ángel Villacampa. Mapi won her first league title in the 2016–17 season. Atlético won the league by beating Real Sociedad on the last day. Her great playing that season earned her a spot in the league's best team. It also made FC Barcelona interested in her.
In the summer of 2017, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid had long talks about Mapi's transfer. Before she moved to Barcelona, she trained separately from her team. She also became ill during the contract talks. In a Barcelona documentary, Mapi said Atlético thought she was pretending to be sick. They believed she was trying to force her move to Barcelona.
Playing for Barcelona (2017–present)
On 24 August 2017, Mapi León officially joined Barcelona. She was the club's sixth new player for the 2017–18 season. Mapi had one year left on her contract with Atlético Madrid. Barcelona paid €50,000 for her. This made her the first player in Spanish women's football history to be transferred for a fee.
In her first season with Barcelona, she won the 2018 Copa de la Reina. This was her first title with the club. Mapi helped her team keep a clean sheet for 120 minutes against her old club, Atlético Madrid. Barcelona won the match after scoring a goal late in extra time.
In October 2018, Mapi scored her first ever Champions League goal. It was in the Round of 16 against Glasgow City. In 2019, Mapi played in her first Champions League Final. Barcelona played against Lyon. Barcelona gave up four goals in the first 30 minutes. They lost the match 1–4 to the strong European team. After the Champions League, Mapi signed a new contract with Barcelona for three more years, until 2022.
In 2020, Mapi León was nominated for the UEFA Women's Team of the Year. This was her first time being considered for this award.
On 6 January 2021, Mapi León started in the first official match played by women's teams at the Camp Nou stadium. She helped Barcelona score their fifth and final goal. One of her shots bounced off Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and went into the goal. Crnogorčević said the goal should be credited to Mapi. Later that month, Mapi played in the 2020–21 Supercopa Femenina. Barcelona lost on penalties to their rivals, Atlético Madrid. Mapi criticized the Royal Spanish Football Federation for not using video-assistant refereeing (VAR) in the competition. The men's version of the competition does use VAR.
In March 2021, she was suspended for four matches and fined €601. This happened after she criticized the refereeing in the Primera Iberdrola. She had received a controversial red card against Real Madrid. Barcelona appealed the decision. Mapi was able to play against second-place team Levante in their next league match. Spain's football union supported Mapi. They said the suspension tried to stop her freedom of speech. The next month, she played her 100th league game with Barcelona against UD Granadilla. Mapi León became a league champion with Barcelona for the second time on 9 May 2021.
Barcelona reached the 2021 UEFA Women's Champions League Final. They beat Paris Saint-Germain with a total score of 2–1. In the second game of the semifinal, Mapi's defensive partner Andrea Pereira got a yellow card. This meant she could not play in the final. Mapi played the final as a centre-back alongside defensive midfielder Patri Guijarro. Patri studied Mapi's playing style to get ready for the match. Barcelona's defense did not let in any goals. They won 4–0. This was the first UEFA Women's Champions League title in the club's history. Mapi León was named to the 2020–21 UEFA Women's Champions League Squad of the Season. She was also nominated for the UEFA Women's Champions League Defender of the Season award. After the Champions League, Mapi played every minute of the remaining games of the 2021 Copa de la Reina. Barcelona won the final 4–2. They achieved the continental treble for the first time.
Mapi León won the league title with Barcelona for the third year in a row. They won every match that season. She also won the Copa de la Reina and Supercopa de España. She started in her team's 1–3 loss against Lyon in the Champions League final.
On 20 November 2022, she scored in her 200th game for Barcelona. Her team won 8–0 against Alavés in a league game.
On 3 June 2023, Mapi played the whole match as Barcelona won 3–2 against VfL Wolfsburg in the final. This win gave her her second Women's Champions League title. She started the 2023–24 season playing very well. However, she suffered a knee injury in December. This injury ended her season.
On 16 April 2025, Mapi León was banned for two Liga F games. This was due to an incident during a match in February 2025.
Mapi León's International Career
Mapi León first played for Spain's senior team on 15 September 2016. She came on as a substitute during Spain's 13–0 win against Montenegro. This was a qualifying match for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017.
In 2017, Mapi was called up for her first big tournament with Spain. This was the 2017 UEFA Women's Euro. Spain reached the quarterfinals of the tournament. They were defeated by Austria after a penalty shootout. Mapi captained Spain for the first time at the 2019 Algarve Cup.
Mapi León started all of Spain's matches at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Spain reached the Round of 16. They played against the United States. In the 7th minute, Mapi caused a penalty. Megan Rapinoe scored from the penalty, putting the USA up 1–0. The match ended 2–1 for the United States, and Spain left the tournament.
In 2021, Spain won 3–0 against Poland in a UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying match. Mapi León scored her first goal for the Spain national team in this game. In the same match, she wore her mother's maiden name, Cebrián, on her shirt.
The next year, in July, Mapi played in the 2022 UEFA Women's Euro. Spain was knocked out in the quarterfinals by England, who went on to win the tournament. In September, Mapi and 14 other teammates decided not to join the national team. This decision came from a disagreement between the players and Spain's coach, Jorge Vilda. The group, called Las 15 by the media, later released a statement. They explained their decision to leave. They talked about difficulties with their physical and mental health. They also criticized the Spanish football federation's response. Mapi continued to refuse to play for the national team in 2023. She even chose not to be available for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She said in an interview that she could not go back if the situation had not changed.
Mapi León's Playing Style
Mapi León is a skilled defender who uses her left foot. She can play as both a left-back and a centre-back. She is mostly used as a centre-back who can pass the ball well. Her main strengths are her excellent technique and passing ability. FIFA describes her as an energetic player who reacts quickly and understands the game well. Her former coach at Atletico Madrid, Ángel Villacampa, helped her become a centre-back. He said Mapi's style fits perfectly with Barcelona's way of playing. This is because she can pass the ball up the field and likes to play high up the pitch.
Mapi León's Personal Interests
Mapi León loves motorcycles. She got this interest from her father, who is a mechanic.
She also enjoys drawing and painting. She has several tattoos. Her first tattoo was a small one on her foot. She got it in a hidden spot so her parents would not see it. One of her most noticeable tattoos is on her neck. It says "Looks can be deceiving." She practices tattooing on her own hands and feet. In 2021, she was learning at a tattoo shop. She has said that she would like to focus on her tattoos and tattoo designs after she stops playing football.
Career Statistics
Club Performance
| Club | Season | League | Copa de la Reina de Fútbol | UEFA Women's Champions League | Supercopas Spain |
Copa Catalonia |
Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Zaragoza | 2010–11 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | 32 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 32 | 4 | |||||
| 2012–13 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 1 | – | – | – | 32 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 64 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 7 | |
| Espanyol | 2013–14 | 30 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 30 | 4 | ||||
| Atlético | 2014–15 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 37 | 2 | |||
| 2015–16 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 44 | 2 | |||
| 2016–17 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | 30 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 84 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 4 | |
| Barcelona | 2017–18 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| 2018–19 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | – | 2 | 0 | 44 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 42 | 3 | ||
| 2021–22 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 36 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 38 | 5 | ||
| 2023–24 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 | 1 | ||
| Total | 160 | 12 | 17 | 1 | 50 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 237 | 17 | |
| Total | 330 | 25 | 32 | 2 | 52 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 424 | 31 | |
International Goals
Mapi León – goals for  Spain |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 23 February 2021 | La Ciudad del Fútbol, Las Rozas de Madrid |  Poland |
3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2021 qualifying |
Honors and Awards
Espanyol
- Copa Catalunya: 2013
Atletico Madrid
- Primera División: 2016–17
- Copa de la Reina: 2016
Barcelona
- Primera División: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
- UEFA Women's Champions League: 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24
- Copa de la Reina: 2018, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25
- Supercopa de España: 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
- Copa Catalunya: 2018, 2019
Spain
- Algarve Cup: 2017
- SheBelieves Cup: runner-up 2020
- Arnold Clark Cup: runner-up 2022
Individual Awards
- Fútbol Draft: 2013, 2015, 2016
- Primera División Best XI of the Season: 2016–17
- UEFA Women's Champions League Squad of the Season: 2020–21, 2024–25
- FIFA FIFPRO Women's World 11: 2022
- IFFHS Women's UEFA Team: 2021
See also
In Spanish: Mapi León para niños
