Esther Sullastres: “I thought my time in this sport was over”

“I saw myself retiring from football. I thought: my time in this sport is over, this is as far as I go.” Esther Sullastres suffered a serious knee injury in 2018 that kept her off the pitch for over a year. Today, having been called up to the national team seven years later, she shares her story of overcoming adversity.

The goalkeeper made her debut for Spain in 2017, at the Algarve Cup, against Iceland. Shortly after, life dealt her a tough blow, and she seriously doubted if she would return to the pitch: “I had to learn to walk, run, jump, and fall all over again.”

“In 2019, with my recovery, I was reborn.” After years of hard work and effort, Esther received the call from the national team last week, while she was training with Sevilla FC, marking her return after seven years: “At 24, I didn’t appreciate it as I should have, but now I do. It’s amazing to be here with the best, with the star on the chest.”