News
Women’s National Team

Athenea del Castillo: "What characterises this team is how much we push ourselves"

After qualifying for the quarter-finals and scoring 11 goals in two matches, Athenea spoke to the media in Lausanne
© Copyright RFEF - Reproduction of all or part of the photographic content without the express authorization of the RFEF is prohibited.
Tue, 08/07/2025 - 19:57

Athenea del Castillo was chosen to appear in the press room set up in the Juan Antonio Samaranch training ground, the national team's training base during their stay in Lausanne for the European Championships. She sat down to answer journalists' questions after completing a recovery session in the gym following yesterday's tough match against Belgium, which ended in a thrashing and secured Spain’s qualification for the quarter-finals: "We're super happy to have qualified, that was the objective. It's time to enjoy it but also to start preparing for the match against Italy and to give it our all."

 

Athenea is not surprised by the team's good form: "Ultimately, the team has been working for a long time for moments like yesterday and the match against Portugal. We are very happy with the team's performance and we want to continue in this vein. It will be a very tense match against Italy that will demand our best level of performance. We have to give our best."

 

On a personal level, "I'm very happy to be here, it's very difficult to make the squad and I'm happy to be able to get minutes, do my bit, and hopefully I can continue like this."

 

 

Athenea spoke about the importance of everyone being switched on, whether starting or not, and how competitive this team is with every player in the group: "All of us are ready to start or to come on. Each of the 23 of us is prepared for the role we're given; we have different resources and that's very important for the team. I don't think about whether I'm starting. I think about doing what I've been working on for years. If I'm not starting, I pay attention to the opponent's weaknesses, and if I am starting, I give it my all and absorb the advice I'm given from outside."

 

 

She's a football lover and as such keeps up with the many matches at the Euros: "I'm very much following all the matches; I'm passionate about football. The level is very high, we're paying close attention. One team I'm really enjoying is France, we have two teammates there."

 

Regarding Spain’s possible opponents if they finish first or second in the group, Athenea is clear: "We focus on ourselves, on giving our best version and wanting to win all our matches. We want to win against Italy, then we'll see who we get."

 

The main key to getting good results and the team's play is precisely that, the team we have formed and the constant hard work they put in: "Ultimately, we've been working for a while and now that being reflected in the results. One of the things that stands out about this team is how much we push ourselves. Also, the joy in the group, with the good vibes the young players transmit. This national team is moving forward and all 23 of us are very happy."

 

 

Watch Athenea del Castillo's press conference again

Women's Euro 2025

More related news