Salma Paralluelo: ‘I had to accept the situation, and sacrifice the present for a better future’.

The last few months for Salma Paralluelo have not been her best. That's the assessment and the lessons learned by the former sprinter, who was forced to take a short break from the game to gather momentum and come back stronger, both physically and mentally. ‘You have to know how to listen to people. You have to sit down and accept situations and sacrifice the present so that in the future, even if you're out for a while, you'll come back much better, train more comfortably and play more comfortably. Keep the awareness that I'm missing out but because better things are to come,’ confessed Salma. 

Today, she is all smiles again, she’s got the twinkle in her eye back and her legs are bouncing with every stride: ‘Yes, I’ve been really looking forward to this, it's been a long time, i’m really looking forward to seeing my teammates and being back in the team again so I'm very happy’ And so, from a happy place, she told us how difficult the last few months were, especially as she could not enjoy what she likes the most: ‘It is difficult to see your teammates while you have to be away from the group but it was a process that I needed for my own good, for my future and yes it could have been longer and harder, but from the first moment, i was aware of what I had to do, with the support here in the national team and in my club’.

And she returns at a key moment for the national team with which she hopes to give her best in all the challenges that are to come: ‘I think we are super motivated, eager to retain this title. Little by little I'm getting back into the group, getting to know my teammates again, the team and myself as a player. I really want to give everything with this shirt and go as far as possible in this Nations League’. The first step is against Belgium, taking the first three points of the qualifying phase. The Belgian national team are already all too aware of Salma's qualities as in April last year in the qualifiers for the European Championships, she scored three of the seven goals they conceded in the match. The player from Zaragoza still remembers that day fondly: ‘Yes, I remember something. I remember the congratulations from my teammates after the game, the signing of the ball, I remember the support of my teammates. I cherish those moments’.

The winger wants to continue adding to the memories she already has of the World Cup and the first Nations League success for Spain. Now she has one big objective with the national team this year, winning the European Championships in Switzerland: ‘It would be something incredible, another massive dream fulfilled with this group. It would obviously be something incredible for Spain and for us as a national team. After winning the World Cup it would be the icing on the cake.

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