Spain women's national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Spain

Nickname(s)	La Roja (The Red One)
Association	Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Montserrat Tomé
Captain	Irene Paredes
Most caps	Alexia Putellas (138)
Top scorer	Jenni Hermoso (57)
FIFA code	ESP
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	12 (7 December 2018)
Highest	1 (December 2023 – June 2024)
Lowest	21 (June – August 2004; March 2008)
First international
Unofficial  Spain 3–3 Portugal  (Murcia, Spain; 21 February 1971) Official  Spain 0–1 Portugal  (A Guarda, Spain; 5 February 1983)
Biggest win
Spain 17–0 Slovenia  (Palamós, Spain; 20 March 1994)
Biggest defeat
Spain 0–8 Sweden  (Gandia, Spain; 2 June 1996)
World Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2015)
Best result	Champions (2023)
Olympic Games
Appearances	1 (first in 2024)
Best result	Fourth place (2024)
European Championship
Appearances	5 (first in 1997)
Best result	Runners-up (2025)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	1 (first in 2024)
Best result	Champions (2024)
Medal record FIFA Women's World Cup Gold 2023 Australia-New Zealand Team UEFA Women's Championship Silver 2025 Switzerland Team UEFA Women's Nations League Gold 2024 France, Netherlands & Spain Team

The Spain women's national football team, also known as La Roja (The Red One), represents Spain in international football games. It is managed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, which is the main organization for football in Spain.

Spain is currently one of the top teams in the world. They are one of only five national teams to have won the FIFA Women's World Cup, achieving this amazing feat in 2023. Spain is also one of only two countries, along with Germany, to have won both the women's and men's World Cups. They made history by becoming the first nation to hold world champion titles in all three women's football categories at the same time: Under-17, Under-20, and senior level.

At the European level, Spain won the first-ever UEFA Women's Nations League in 2024. This made them the first country to win both the women's and men's Nations League competitions. They have also played in the UEFA Women's Championship five times, reaching the semi-finals in 1997 and finishing as runners-up in 2025.

History of the Spanish Women's Football Team

How it All Started

Around 1970, some unofficial women's football clubs began to appear in Spain. A person named Rafael Muga wanted to create a national team. At first, the official football federation didn't think football was a suitable sport for women. In fact, the president of the federation in 1971 even said he didn't think women looked good in shirts and shorts!

Despite this, an unofficial Spanish team played its first game on 21 February 1971 in Murcia against Portugal, ending in a 3–3 draw. They weren't allowed to wear the official federation badge. Later, they played against Italy and lost 8–1. The official federation even stopped them from joining an early women's world cup. This unofficial team eventually stopped playing.

Becoming Official in the 1980s

After Spain became a democracy, the Royal Spanish Football Federation finally accepted women's football in November 1980. They created a national cup and then an official national team. This team played its first official game on 5 February 1983 against Portugal, losing 0–1.

The team then played friendly matches against France and Switzerland. They got their first official win in Zürich (0–1). In 1985, they played their first official qualifying match for the European Championship. The team's coach, Teodoro Nieto, was later replaced by Ignacio Quereda in 1988, who coached the team for 27 years.

Growing Stronger in the 1990s and 2000s

In the 1995 Euro qualifiers, Spain showed improvement, finishing second in their group. They also achieved their biggest win ever, a 17–0 victory over Slovenia. In the 1997 Euro qualifiers, Spain made it to the main tournament for the first time! They reached the semi-finals, where they were defeated by Italy.

After this success, the team faced a long period of not qualifying for major tournaments. They often finished low in their groups during qualifiers for the World Cup and European Championships.

First World Cups in the 2010s

Spain finally qualified for the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 after beating Scotland in a playoff. They reached the quarterfinals but were eliminated by Norway.

Two years later, Spain qualified for their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015. However, their performance in the group stage was disappointing, and they were eliminated early. After the World Cup, the players asked for a change in coaching. Ignacio Quereda stepped down, and Jorge Vilda became the new head coach.

Spain then qualified for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 by winning all their matches. They also won the Algarve Cup for the first time. In the Euro 2017, they reached the quarterfinals but lost in a penalty shootout.

Spain women's national team in 2018

At the 2019 World Cup, Spain made it to the knockout stage for the first time in their history. They were eliminated in the Round of 16 by the eventual champions, the United States.

The Golden Generation of the 2020s

In the early 2020s, Spain's team became one of the top 10 in the FIFA Women's World Rankings. Spanish players also started winning major individual awards in European club football.

Spain qualified for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 without losing a game and was considered a top contender. However, key players Jennifer Hermoso and Alexia Putellas were injured just before the tournament. Spain reached the quarter-finals but lost to England in extra time.

Team Challenges and Resolutions

In September 2022, some players expressed concerns about the team's training and environment. They wanted improvements in how the team was managed. Over time, many players and the federation worked together to resolve these issues.

Nations League Champions and Olympic Debut

With the new UEFA Women's Nations League, Spain was a strong favorite to win. They won their group and qualified for the final four. In the semi-finals, Spain defeated the Netherlands 3-0. In the final, Spain faced France, a team they had never beaten before. Spain won 2-0, claiming their second international trophy and becoming the first champions of the UEFA Nations League.

Spain also qualified for their first-ever women's football tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. They finished first in their group, winning all three matches. In the quarter-finals, Spain beat Colombia in a penalty shootout. Although they were favorites for a medal, Spain lost to Brazil in the semi-finals and then to Germany in the bronze medal match, finishing in fourth place.

Spain continued their strong performance in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament. They reached the final but were defeated by England in a penalty shootout, finishing as runners-up.

Recent Matches

• The following is a summary of Spain's match results in the last 12 months.

Legend

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixtures

In 2024, Spain had a busy year, including their first appearance at the Olympic Games. They won all their group matches against Japan, Nigeria, and Brazil. In the quarter-finals, they drew 2-2 with Colombia but won in a penalty shootout. Spain then lost to Brazil in the semi-finals and Germany in the bronze medal match, finishing fourth. They also played several friendly matches, drawing with Canada and Italy, and winning against South Korea and France.

In 2025, Spain continued their strong form in the UEFA Women's Nations League, winning five out of six group matches against Belgium, England, and Portugal. They also had a successful run in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025, winning all their group matches and reaching the final, where they finished as runners-up after a penalty shootout against England.

Coaching Staff

Players

Current Squad

The following 23 players were part of the squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2025.

Caps and goals as of 27 July 2025

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Esther Sullastres	(1993-03-20) 20 March 1993 (age 32)	1	0	Sevilla
13	1GK	Catalina Coll	(2001-04-23) 23 April 2001 (age 24)	30	0	Barcelona
23	1GK	Adriana Nanclares	(2002-05-09) 9 May 2002 (age 23)	5	0	Athletic Bilbao
2	2DF	Ona Batlle	(1999-06-10) 10 June 1999 (age 26)	67	2	Barcelona
3	2DF	Jana Fernández	(2002-02-18) 18 February 2002 (age 23)	11	0	Barcelona
4	2DF	Irene Paredes (captain)	(1991-07-04) 4 July 1991 (age 34)	121	14	Barcelona
5	2DF	María Méndez	(2001-04-10) 10 April 2001 (age 24)	16	2	Real Madrid
7	2DF	Olga Carmona (3rd captain)	(2000-06-12) 12 June 2000 (age 25)	61	3	Paris Saint-Germain
14	2DF	Laia Aleixandri	(2000-08-25) 25 August 2000 (age 24)	46	3	Barcelona
15	2DF	Leila Ouahabi	(1993-03-22) 22 March 1993 (age 32)	66	1	Manchester City
6	3MF	Aitana Bonmatí (5th captain)	(1998-01-18) 18 January 1998 (age 27)	84	31	Barcelona
10	3MF	Athenea del Castillo	(2000-10-24) 24 October 2000 (age 24)	66	18	Real Madrid
11	3MF	Alexia Putellas (vice-captain)	(1994-02-04) 4 February 1994 (age 31)	138	38	Barcelona
12	3MF	Patricia Guijarro	(1998-05-17) 17 May 1998 (age 27)	75	13	Barcelona
19	3MF	Vicky López	(2006-07-26) 26 July 2006 (age 19)	15	4	Barcelona
22	3MF	Maite Zubieta	(2002-05-28) 28 May 2002 (age 23)	7	0	Athletic Bilbao
8	4FW	Mariona Caldentey (4th captain)	(1996-03-19) 19 March 1996 (age 29)	95	32	Arsenal
9	4FW	Esther González	(1992-12-08) 8 December 1992 (age 32)	57	37	Gotham FC
16	4FW	Cristina Martín-Prieto	(1993-03-14) 14 March 1993 (age 32)	8	3	Benfica
17	4FW	Lucía García	(1998-07-14) 14 July 1998 (age 27)	58	13	Monterrey
18	4FW	Salma Paralluelo	(2003-11-13) 13 November 2003 (age 21)	44	14	Barcelona
20	4FW	Clàudia Pina	(2001-08-12) 12 August 2001 (age 23)	21	9	Barcelona
21	4FW	Alba Redondo	(1996-08-27) 27 August 1996 (age 28)	43	16	Real Madrid

Recent Call-ups

• The following players were also named to a squad in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Eunate Astralaga	(2005-11-30) 30 November 2005 (age 19)	0	0	Eibar	v.  Portugal; 8 April 2025 PRE
GK	Misa Rodríguez	(1999-07-23) 23 July 1999 (age 26)	24	0	Real Madrid	2024 Summer Olympics
GK	Elene Lete	(2002-05-07) 7 May 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Real Sociedad	2024 Summer Olympics
DF	Laia Codina INJ	(2000-01-22) 22 January 2000 (age 25)	23	2	Arsenal	v.  Belgium; 30 May 2025 PRE
DF	Berta Pujadas	(2000-04-09) 9 April 2000 (age 25)	3	0	Levante Badalona	v.  Portugal; 4 April 2025 PRE
DF	Ana Tejada	(2002-06-02) 2 June 2002 (age 23)	2	0	Utah Royals	v.  Italy; 29 October 2024
DF	Oihane Hernández	(2000-05-04) 4 May 2000 (age 25)	27	1	Orlando Pride	2024 Summer Olympics
MF	Sheila García	(1997-03-15) 15 March 1997 (age 28)	23	1	Real Madrid	v.  England; 3 June 2025 PRE
MF	Silvia Lloris	(2004-05-15) 15 May 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Atlético Madrid	v.  Portugal; 8 April 2025 PRE
MF	Teresa Abelleira INJ	(2000-01-09) 9 January 2000 (age 25)	44	3	Real Madrid	v.  England; 26 February 2025 PRE
MF	Maite Oroz	(1998-03-25) 25 March 1998 (age 27)	15	4	Tottenham Hotspur	v.  England; 26 February 2025 PRE
MF	Fiamma Benítez	(2004-06-19) 19 June 2004 (age 21)	9	2	Atlético Madrid	v.  France; 1 December 2024 PRE
MF	Inma Gabarro	(2002-11-05) 5 November 2002 (age 22)	5	2	Everton	2024 Summer Olympics PRE
FW	Lucía Corrales	(2005-11-24) 24 November 2005 (age 19)	1	0	Sevilla	v.  Belgium; 30 May 2025
FW	Macarena Portales	(1998-08-02) 2 August 1998 (age 26)	2	0	Levante Badalona	v.  Portugal; 8 April 2025 PRE
FW	Amaiur Sarriegi	(2000-12-13) 13 December 2000 (age 24)	20	13	Atlético Madrid	v.  Belgium; 21 February 2025 PRE
FW	Bruna Vilamala	(2002-06-04) 4 June 2002 (age 23)	3	1	Brighton & Hove Albion	v.  France; 1 December 2024
FW	Jenni Hermoso	(1990-05-09) 9 May 1990 (age 35)	123	57	Tigres UANL	v.  Canada; 25 October 2024
FW	Eva Navarro	(2001-01-27) 27 January 2001 (age 24)	26	5	Real Madrid	2024 Summer Olympics
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player retired from the national team WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Previous Squads

Team Honours and Awards

Major Titles

Minor Titles

Other Awards

• Premios Nacionales del Deporte (National Sports Awards): Best national sports team (2014)
• Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit (2023)
• Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year (2024)

Player Records

Caps and goals as of 27 July 2025.

Players in bold are still active, at least at club level.

Team Captains List of captains by appearances as captain Player Span Conchi Sánchez 1971–1981 Inmaculada Castañón 1983–1988 Montserrat González 1989–1990 Eli Artola 1990–1991 Itziar Bakero 1991–1995 Beatriz García 1995–1996 Arantza del Puerto 1996–2005 Maider Castillo 2005–2007 Itziar Gurrutxaga 2007–2008 Vanesa Gimbert 2008 Melisa Nicolau 2008–2010 Sandra Vilanova 2011–2013 Verónica Boquete 2013–2017 Marta Torrejón 2017–2019 Irene Paredes 2019–2022 2024– Ivana Andrés 2022–2023 Alexia Putellas 2023

Individual Player Awards FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Ball (Best Player): Aitana Bonmatí (2023) FIFA Women's World Cup Silver Ball (Second Best Player): Jennifer Hermoso (2023) FIFA Women's World Cup Best Young Player: Salma Paralluelo (2023) UEFA Women's Euro Best Player: Aitana Bonmatí (2025) UEFA Women's Euro Top Scorer: Esther González (2025) UEFA Women's Euro All-Star Team: Ángeles Parejo (1997), Verónica Boquete (2013), Aitana Bonmatí (2022, 2025) UEFA Women's Nations League Best Player: Aitana Bonmatí (2024) Grand Hotel Varna Tournament Top Scorer: Mar Prieto (1992, 1995) Algarve Cup Best Player: Irene Paredes (2017) Algarve Cup Top Scorer: Jennifer Hermoso (2019) Arnold Clark Cup Best Player: Athenea del Castillo (2022) Arnold Clark Cup Top Scorer: Alexia Putellas (2022) Cup of Nations Top Scorer: Esther González (2023) Cyprus Cup Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper): Lola Gallardo (2018) SheBelieves Cup Best Player: Alexia Putellas (2020) SheBelieves Cup Top Scorer: Lucía García and Alexia Putellas (2020) Tournament Performance FIFA Women's World Cup Main article: Spain at the FIFA Women's World Cup FIFA Women's World Cup Record Qualification Record Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA 1991 Did not qualify 1991 UEFA Women's Championship 1995 UEFA Women's Euro 1995 1999 6 0 2 4 5 10 2003 6 2 0 4 8 11 2007 8 4 2 2 19 14 2011 8 6 1 1 37 4 2015 Group stage 20th 3 0 1 2 2 4 10 9 1 0 42 2 2019 Round of 16 12th 4 1 1 2 4 4 8 8 0 0 25 2 2023 Champions 1st 7 6 0 1 18 7 8 8 0 0 53 0 2027 To be determined To be determined 2031 To be determined To be determined 2035 To be determined To be determined Total 1 title 3/12 14 7 2 5 24 15 55 38 6 11 189 43 Olympic Games Olympic Games Record Year Host Round Pos. Pld. W D L GF GA 1996 Atlanta Did not qualify 2000 Sydney 2004 Athens 2008 Beijing 2012 London 2016 Rio de Janeiro 2020 Tokyo 2024 Paris Fourth place 4th 6 3 1 2 9 8 2028 Los Angeles To be determined 2032 Brisbane To be determined Total 0 Titles 1/8 6 3 1 2 9 8 UEFA Women's European Championship Main article: Spain at the UEFA Women's Championship UEFA Women's Championship Record Qualification Record Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA P/R Rnk 1984 Did not enter Declined participation 1987 Did not qualify 6 1 1 4 7 9 – 1989 8 2 2 4 4 8 1991 6 0 2 4 3 13 1993 4 1 1 2 2 6 1995 6 3 3 0 29 0 1997 Semi-finals 3rd 4 1 1 2 3 4 6 1 2 3 8 15 – 2001 Did not qualify 6 1 1 4 6 17 – 2005 8 2 1 5 10 10 2009 8 5 2 1 24 7 2013 Quarter-finals 7th 4 1 1 2 5 7 10 6 2 2 43 14 2017 8th 4 1 1 2 2 3 8 8 0 0 40 2 2022 6th 4 2 0 2 6 5 8 7 1 0 48 1 2025 Runners-up 2nd 6 5 1 0 18 4 6 5 0 1 18 5 1st Total 0 Titles 5/14 22 10 4 8 34 23 90 42 18 30 242 107 1st UEFA Women's Nations League UEFA Women's Nations League Record League Phase Finals Season LG Grp Pos Pld W D L GF GA P/R RK Year Pos Pld W D L GF GA 2023–24 A 4 1st 6 5 0 1 23 9 1st 2024 Champions 2 2 0 0 5 0 2025 A 3 TBD 6 5 0 1 21 8 TBD 2025 Qualified Total 12 10 0 2 44 17 1st Total 1 Title 2 2 0 0 5 0 Promoted at end of season No movement at end of season Relegated at end of season * Participated in promotion/relegation play-offs Rankings FIFA Women's World Rankings Spain's position in the FIFA Women's World Rankings has steadily improved over the years. They reached their highest rank of 1st in December 2023 and held it until June 2024. As of July 2025, they are ranked 2nd in the world. Season March Jun / Jul Aug / Sep December 2003 22nd (1755) 19th (1767) 20th (1767) 20th (1765) 2004 20th (1771) 21st (1756) 21st (1756) 20th (1756) 2005 20th (1754) 20th (1756) 20th (1756) 20th (1778) 2006 20th (1778) 20th (1793) 20th (1778) 20th (1778) 2007 20th (1778) 20th (1802) 20th (1802) 20th (1805) 2008 21st (1805) 19th (1819) 19th (1819) 20th (1796) 2009 20th (1796) 20th (1796) 20th (1797) 20th (1813) 2010 20th (1813) 20th (1812) 19th (1816) 19th (1816) 2011 18th (1816) 18th (1816) 18th (1819) 17th (1841) 2012 17th (1842) 16th (1841) 17th (1831) 18th (1823) 2013 18th (1824) 18th (1823) 17th (1831) 15th (1849) 2014 15th (1844) 16th (1854) 16th (1865) 15th (1865) 2015 14th (1867) 19th (1815) 18th (1824) 14th (1854) 2016 15th (1852) 14th (1861) 14th (1861) 14th (1862) 2017 13th (1885) 13th (1885) 17th (1849) 13th (1869) 2018 12th (1886) 12th (1911) 12th (1916) 12th (1920) 2019 13th (1913) 13th (1899) 13th (1897) 13th (1900) 2020 13th (1915) 13th (1915) 13th (1915) 13th (1919) 2021 13th (1929.14) 12th (1935.87) 10th (1935.87) 9th (1959.16) 2022 7th (1980.28) 8th (1983.13) 6th (1997.74) 7th (2000.31) 2023 7th (1997.65) 6th (2002.28) 2nd (2051.84) 1st (2066.05) 2024 1st (2085.96) 1st (2099.89) 3rd (2021.09) 2nd (2028.65) 2025 2nd (2020.60) 2nd (2034.34) 1st (2066.79) Youth Teams Spain also has strong youth national teams that help develop future stars for the senior team. Under-23 Team Main article: Spain women's national under-23 football team This team is for players who are a bit older than the youth teams but not yet in the main senior squad. It helps them get more training and match experience. Under-20 and Under-19 Teams Main articles: Spain women's national under-20 football team and Spain women's national under-19 football team These teams are for talented young players under the age of 20 and 19, helping them grow and prepare for higher levels of football. Under-17 Team Main article: Spain women's national under-17 football team This team focuses on the youngest players, helping them develop their skills and passion for football from an early age. See also In Spanish: Selección femenina de fútbol de España para niños Women's football in Spain List of Spain women's international footballers List of Spain women's national football team captains