Our defender opens up on her footballing philosophy
What do you remember from your very early days being coached? What were the most valuable lessons you learned?
What I remember more than anything is that football was passion. When I first started playing, all my teammates were boys and they were all my best friends, so during that time, football was everything to me. I would spend my weeks just waiting for training and for the weekend. That hasn’t changed much for me, to be honest, even 15 years later!
I remember, when I was still playing with boys, we’d sometimes play with the older kids. That was the first time I saw players use their bodies and being aggressive as defenders. Now I consider my physicality one of my strengths and I think it came from those early days. That was the passion and strength I wanted to play with.
Who were your early influences? What players did you look up to when you started and why?
I always looked up to Carles Puyol, the Barcelona captain. He was my idol when I was young. Not only because of how he played football, but also because of his behaviour off the pitch. He would lead Barcelona by example and those values made a difference. That’s how I want to be as a footballer. I wanted to become a defender, just like him. I wear the number 5 because of him. I think he changed my footballing brain in a way.
Can you pinpoint a stage in your career, or an age group, where you made the biggest leap?
I think joining Barca for the first time was a huge change, but it’s probably my first pre-season with the first team. Seeing all the players I’d looked up to, training with them, sharing a locker room with them – you start to realise where you are. In that moment, I knew that I wanted to become a professional football and this was where my journey started. That pre-season was so nice for a number of reasons and it also changed my mind when it came to the priorities in my life. When you’re at school, your summers are spent with your friends having fun, but summer also means pre-season. I found that I wanted to train more. I didn’t mind making those sacrifices for football.
There’s also the U19 European Championships, which was my first major tournament with Spain. When you start playing international football, you realise that the game isn’t the same. I was used to play football in my town and then for Barca, so to play against players across the world was a next step. It’s also really nice that a lot of the players I faced back then still play for their national teams, so we still get to see each other. Plus, we won the tournament, so that was nice!
What do you wish you had known earlier in your career?
One thing I wish I’d let myself do is make more mistakes when I was younger. When all these massive changes started happening in my life and I joined Barca and the Spanish national team, I probably put myself under too much pressure. I didn’t let myself make mistakes in case they cost me. I didn’t even want to misplace a pass! Now I think about it: the moments when I have made mistakes are also when I’ve learned the most. Sometimes, we just have to let people make mistakes.
What training qualifications do you have now or would like to have in future? Would you like to become a coach?
I think about this question a lot. Before, I used to be certain that I didn’t want to go anywhere near football after I retired. Turns out, I was wrong! I love football and as I grow up, I love it even more. When I see young players coming through the ranks, I just want to help them in any way I can. So in the last few months, I’ve been seriously considering becoming a coach one day. I really want to see players develop as footballers and as people, and I want to help them.
I would want to help young players especially because I think that is the most important phase of a footballer’s career. I try to do that now at Arsenal with our academy girls. So you’ll probably see me around a coaching office, but I’m hoping I still have another ten years of playing in me!
I think how I grew up is how I want to teach. Having the ball is so important in Spanish football and I enjoy that possession too. Being attacking-minded as well, even as a defender. I’m open-minded when it comes to footballing styles though. I’ve learned so much at Arsenal already, even though it’s only been a year or so. I’ve spent time in Spain, in Italy and now England, and I love how the game is changing all the time. But if I had to choose, I think my heart is still with Spanish football. It takes me back to just playing on the street or the beach with my friends, being creative and enjoying myself. That’s what it’s all about.
Do you enjoy the analysis side of the game? (And why/why not?)
I like it when we go through tactics ahead of matches and I understand why it’s important, but I wouldn’t say I’m interested in analysis beyond that. I just want to play football, to be honest. Be on the pitch, feel the ball, feel the energy and bounce off my teammates and the crowd.
When I go through my individual clips with the coaches, I enjoy learning from them, but I can’t see that side of football being a part of my future. Never say never! But I need to feel the grass underneath me.
Who in the current squad would make the best manager in future and why?
That's a good question. We have a few girls at the moment completing their coaching badges: Beth, Kim and Wally. I can especially see Wally as a coach – she just has such patience. It helps that she’s a midfielder too, so she sees so much on the pitch and is very knowledgeable when it comes to football. I can also picture Steph as a coach. Her behaviour on and off the pitch, how she talks to everyone and engages with us – it’s very special. I don’t want to say she’s like a mum! But she has a caring energy that would make a great coach, I think.
What can football learn from other sports?
I think there are probably lots of things, but the main thing that comes to mind is fellowship. A sense of togetherness. We have that within our own teams but I think we could all do better to improve that with other teams and fans. We are fierce rivals for 90 minutes but after the whistle has blown, we should be friends. We’re all working towards the same goal.
I think women’s football is becoming more and more commercial and in a lot of ways, that’s great. But I do love it when football is rooted in the game itself.