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Women’s National Team

Misa Rodriguez, the heart that guards the goal

The national team goalkeeper tells FIFA about her life journey, during which a heart operation almost ruled her out of football.
Fri, 28/07/2023 - 10:57

She turned 24 last week during the World Cup training camp and since the age of 13 she has been making her name as an unforgettable goalkeeper.

Misa Rodríguez is playing in her first World Cup in New Zealand, defending the as yet impregnable Spanish goal, keeping clean sheets in the first 2 matches.

The Gran Canarian is enjoying the best form of a sporting career that was almost cut short at an early age by heart problems: "I have always played sport and I was very good at judo, running, swimming and cycling," says Misa, "but suddenly I had a tachycardia that led the doctors to tell us that I would have to give up sport forever".

Thankfully, this was not the case due to the combative character and indomitable spirit of the Spanish number 1, as well as a happy event in the hospital which the Rodríguez Rivero family attribute the positive outcome to their story to: "My father found a butterfly near the operating theatre, so he decided to pick it up and set it free. Just then the doctors informed my family that the operation had been a success and I have always thought that it was my father's gesture with the butterfly that saved me".

Since then, a huge heart has decorated Misa's right arm, acting as both a tattoo and a scar. The same heart that continues to beat strongly for Spain in this World Cup

Mundial Femenino 2023