“I do not keep in mind my life with out soccer.”
For so long as Mariona Caldentey can keep in mind, she had goals of taking part in on the most important phases and successful the most important prizes.
She turned a world champion with Spain in 2023 and has received 4 Champions League titles with Barcelona and Arsenal.
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Now the 29-year-old midfielder is likely one of the nominees for the Ballon d’Or after a dream debut season within the Ladies’s Tremendous League.
From humble beginnings in a rural city to the spotlights of soccer, that is Caldentey’s journey.
Futsal, hour-long journeys and Collerense
Caldentey grew up within the small city of Felanitx, on the island of Mallorca.
She was near her older brother and her cousins they usually performed soccer collectively at her grandmother’s home as a baby.
On the age of 4, Caldentey joined the native soccer crew – an after-school futsal membership in Manacor.
She was the one lady on the crew however loved big success, successful a number of titles, together with the Spanish Futsal Championships.
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“Soccer was all the time round me due to my household,” Caldentey advised BBC Sport.
“My older brother performed, my dad was a coach – he was the president of a membership [CE Felanitx] and performed earlier than that – and my grandfather and cousins performed as nicely.
“I grew up in that surroundings and no person advised me it was only for males. I all the time felt supported. I used to be fortunate.
“[Futsal was] how I began. That is fairly typical in Spain if you end up a child. I began to mix 11-a-side with five-a-side as a result of I cherished it a lot. I did each for years.”
When Caldentey’s skills turned clear on the age of 14, she joined an expert girls’s crew – El Collerense – who performed within the Spanish first division.
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In her second coaching session, she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage and virtually thought-about quitting – a second she typically appears again on now.
However a 12 months later, she made her debut within the Copa de la Reina and shortly caught the attention of Spain’s most prestigious golf equipment.
Like many in Spain, she shared a deep love for Barcelona however they didn’t develop an expert girls’s part till 2015.
It meant she missed out on an schooling at La Masia – Barcelona’s youth academy – however Barcelona was in her blood and after graduating from college with a masters diploma in damage rehabilitation, she joined the membership in the summertime of 2014.
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“After I was taking part in in my city it was straightforward however after I obtained older my dad and mom needed to drive me one hour from dwelling,” mentioned Caldentey.
“Collerense had been my first girls’s crew. I did not have the licence to drive and the membership could not provide me a driver, so my household needed to help me with coaching.
“We educated at 8pm so arrived dwelling at 11pm. Within the second you did not realise however now after I give it some thought, I used to be so fortunate that my household supported me with no reward. I cherished what I did they usually supported me.”
Grandma’s piano classes and grieving for her father
Caldentey’s bond along with her household and residential city stays sturdy.
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Felanitx city corridor has a plaque in honour of Caldentey and the native futsal pitch is called after her – the Camp de Futbol Es Torrento Mariona Caldentey Oliver.
However the household suffered grief when Caldentey misplaced her father Miguel Angel all of a sudden in 2018, two days earlier than she joined up with the Spanish nationwide crew, whereas her grandmother died final 12 months following her transfer to Arsenal.
Her father’s dying hit exhausting however she vowed to attain success in his reminiscence. She represented Spain days after his funeral and went on to win 14 main trophies along with his beloved membership Barcelona, the place he was a season-ticket holder.
“It was unhappy for my dad as a result of he was following and supporting me after we had no followers, within the rain, and in dangerous circumstances,” mentioned Caldentey.
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“Now we’ve one of the best [facilities] round us, play within the huge stadiums, have all of the followers and he missed that. It’s kind of unhappy.
“He did not see me play in a Champions League remaining. The 12 months we made the primary remaining he handed away in November. He missed the profitable half.
“My brother and my mum can nonetheless take pleasure in that journey with me. However currently, I feel extra about him.
“After I was taking part in as a ahead he all the time advised me, ‘You’ll find yourself taking part in extra in midfield’. He was proper! It is sort of humorous.”
Her grandmother taught her to play the piano when she was youthful and Caldentey had a keyboard along with her in Barcelona to proceed practising.
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She has let her musical skills slip however Caldentey intends to select it up once more now she has settled in at Arsenal.
“Typically [my grandma] performed and I needed to do the identical as her. To start with, my grandma was unhappy as a result of none of us had been concerned in music, we had been extra into sports activities.
“I wish to really learn about music. I like when you may be taught one thing and get higher at it. I can play some songs however I’m not good. I’d love sooner or later in my life to have classes.”
Stopping the ‘rollercoaster’ and leaving Barca
These near Caldentey say she defines her successful mentality by “all the time wanting somewhat extra”.
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She put these phrases into motion throughout her 10-year profession at Barcelona, having fun with two Treble-winning seasons and clinching three Champions League titles.
In complete, she scored 115 targets in 303 appearances.
In Spain, they evaluate her to Andres Iniesta – a legendary quantity eight for Barcelona. Caldentey now wears the identical quantity for Arsenal.
“It is a huge honour. I grew up watching quite a lot of the Barca era when it was Messi, Xavi, Iniesta. I cherished that crew,” mentioned Caldentey.
“I watched them being actually profitable and taking part in essentially the most lovely soccer. I simply love that sort of soccer.”
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So instilled within the Barcelona approach, few might have imagined that Caldentey would at some point select to go away her childhood membership looking for a brand new problem.
“To start with after I was fascinated with leaving, I used to be sort of sharing a little bit of every thing, my ideas and my course of with my mum and my brother,” she added.
“However at one level I wanted to cease doing that as a result of it was a little bit of a rollercoaster. Sooner or later you suppose one factor, then you definately change. On the finish, it is a private determination.
“I finished sharing and mentioned, ‘I’ll let you know when I’m clear as a result of it is my determination’.
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“My mum needs to have me nearer so coming to London is more durable. She will be able to’t converse English and she will’t fly alone as a result of she is a bit scared.
“My brother can be a giant fan of Barca. However in the long run they wished to see me happier so that they supported me, similar as my pals.”
Mariona Caldentey performed a number of occasions at Camp Nou with Barcelona [Getty Images]
Thriller films and language classes
It didn’t take lengthy for Caldentey to settle in England – she was named the PFA Participant of the Yr and WSL Participant of the Season.
She scored 19 targets in 41 appearances in all competitions and helped Arsenal win a primary European title in 18 years.
England captain Leah Williamson described “watching her magic” and mentioned she “cherished being her team-mate” after constructing an immediate bond.
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Caldentey’s largest problem was studying English and although she was helped by Spanish team-mate Laia Codina, she additionally had language classes by way of the membership.
“Now I’m extra assured to talk. I hope I’ll get higher however it’s wonderful when you may be taught one other language and the way one other tradition goes,” mentioned Caldentey.
“It was a bit exhausting to start with – settling into a brand new home, to drive on the opposite facet of the street, getting a a brand new automobile – and small issues like a brand new telephone quantity and the wi-fi! It appears prefer it’s straightforward to maneuver however you all the time have one thing to do.
“It’s kind of worrying however I used to be fortunate that [Codina] was already right here so she helped me quite a bit. My life is completely different now to what it was in Barcelona however I’m having fun with it.”
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Caldentey watches soccer matches with English commentary to assist her perceive phrases her team-mates would possibly use on the pitch.
However typically she wants a break from studying.
“If I watch a film or a [TV] collection then you recognize what, I deserve Spanish! It’s kind of tiring. I like thrillers and crime [dramas],” mentioned Caldentey.
“In English, it is exhausting for me to observe. Final 12 months we went to the cinema to look at Mufasa. It is a children’ film in order that’s straightforward to grasp. If it is a thriller, I can not make it but!”
Caldentey can be educating her team-mates some Spanish when she will.
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“I mentioned to the ladies, ‘I’ll go away England some day and I do not know the way my English might be however I’m certain all of you’ll know a little bit of Spanish’.
“It is a language everybody needs to be taught. They’re and it is good. The American ones – [Emily Fox and Jenna Nighswonger] – are one of the best.”
‘Life is best out of the limelight’
Mariona Caldentey received the Champions League in her debut season with Arsenal [Getty Images]
Regardless of all of Caldentey’s success, she seems somewhat shy and really humble – she doesn’t hunt down the limelight.
In her personal phrases, she is a “easy particular person” who simply “likes to have enjoyable”.
Arsenal supervisor Renee Slegers advised BBC Sport: “She has a humbleness over her. Meaning for her it’s simply [about] exhausting work.
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“She grew up taking part in for Barcelona and was a part of their journey. She is aware of how exhausting it’s to win stuff and that’s what she delivered to us.
“She doesn’t take issues as a right. They don’t come straightforward. She understands that basically nicely and it is infectious.”
Former Spain coach Montse Tome mentioned this 12 months that Caldentey was “able to talking and being listened to” and her management qualities are rising.
Her standing in world soccer has elevated and he or she is likely one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or alongside a few of her Spanish and Arsenal team-mates.
“I play soccer as a result of I like to be in a crew. It is a crew sport so I do not put myself in that dialog. I simply wish to play soccer and have enjoyable,” mentioned Caldentey.
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“I do know after I take pleasure in it, it is higher for my soccer after which it is higher for the crew. If the crew is profitable then it is going to be higher.
“I’m fairly easy. I like [to] chuckle, I like [to be] optimistic, I like to be round individuals and simply have a pleasant time. I’m calm in that sense.
“Typically I get a bit indignant and aggravated on the pitch as a result of I’m aggressive and wish to win.
“However off the pitch, there may be nothing too particular to say. I am only a regular lady. Life is best there [out of the limelight].”