36 Facts About Mariona Caldentey

Maria Francesca Caldentey Oliver was born in the Mallorcan town of Felanitx to Miquel Angel "Morete" Caldentey Bennasar and Maria Oliver.

Mariona Caldentey's father was a football coach and her mother is a nurse by profession.

Mariona Caldentey was taught by her grandmother, named Maria, how to play the piano.

Mariona Caldentey began playing football at the age of four in her local team as an after-school activity.

Mariona Caldentey later played futsal in Manacor, where she won multiple titles and played in three Spanish championships.

Mariona Caldentey had been president of CE Felanitx after coaching the team, and died suddenly while travelling in 2018.

Els Tamarells began a campaign to rename the municipal pitch where CE Felanitx play after Caldentey in July 2018, and this ultimately happened in 2020; the Camp de Futbol Es Torrento Mariona Caldentey Oliver was the first public space in Felanitx to be named after a woman.

Mariona Caldentey began her football career in the youth ranks of CD Felanitx.

The staff who registered her there took her name down as the masculine Mariano instead; Mariona Caldentey was the only girl at the club throughout her time there, but never felt excluded or weird.

At under-8 level, Mariona Caldentey won the Spanish championship with Felanitx.

Mariona Caldentey was a versatile player and was fielded in all positions.

Mariona Caldentey then played football at Club Estudiantes CIDE.

Mariona Caldentey joined her first girls' team at the age of fourteen at UD Collerense, which played in the top flight of Spanish women's football at the time.

Mariona Caldentey had only taken part in two training sessions before picking up her first injury, something she would be plagued with throughout her senior career.

Mariona Caldentey was involved in the Collerense youth system, though played for the first team.

Training was in the evenings, with Mariona Caldentey travelling 50 minutes each way every day from Felanitx and returning home at almost midnight.

Mariona Caldentey was taken off in the 28th minute and needed surgery.

On 30 July 2014, Mariona Caldentey signed for Barcelona, the reigning Copa de la Reina and Primera Division champions, after her success in the 2014 U-19 European Championship.

Mariona Caldentey suffered various injuries in her time at Barcelona, missing out on chunks of some seasons and not always being able to show her best level.

Towards the end of what Sport called her best season for Barcelona, and one in which they won everything, Mariona Caldentey announced on 5 June 2024 that she would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

Mariona Caldentey said that leaving Spain had been a tough decision, but suggested that Spanish players in general were considering similar moves as she felt Spanish women's domestic football was stagnating despite their 2023 World Cup success.

Mariona Caldentey was called up the Spain under-16 team for a camp in November 2011.

Mariona Caldentey had already played for the under-16 Balearic Islands team.

Mariona Caldentey earned third place at the 2013 U-17 European Championship, representing Spain.

Mariona Caldentey was called up to the under-19 team for the first time in October 2013, and played for them at the 2014 U-19 European Championship.

Mariona Caldentey started every game in the tournament, and scored the first goal in the semifinal match against Norway.

Mariona Caldentey started in the final, which Spain lost to the Netherlands.

Mariona Caldentey participated in the 2016 U20 World Cup, where she scored twice in the group stage against Canada and Japan.

In 2017, Mariona Caldentey earned her first senior national team call-up when Jorge Vilda named her to Spain's squad for two friendlies against Switzerland.

Mariona Caldentey scored her first senior international goal in a friendly match against Belgium.

Mariona Caldentey was called up to the squad for the Euro 2017.

Mariona Caldentey started in two group stages games- a win against Portugal and a loss against Scotland.

In 2019, Mariona Caldentey was called up to represent Spain in the 2019 Algarve Cup, where Spain finished 7th place.

Mariona Caldentey was named to the Spain squad for the 2019 World Cup.

Mariona Caldentey started each match in the group stage of the tournament, where Spain received four points and moved on to the Round of 16 for the first time in their history.

Mariona Caldentey was among Las 15, a group of players who made themselves unavailable for international selection in September 2022 due to their dissatisfaction with head coach Jorge Vilda, but one of three who was selected for the tournament squad nine months later.