Mariona Caldentey: My game in my words
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When Arsenal signed Mariona Caldentey from Barcelona in the summer of 2024, they knew they were getting one of the most acclaimed players in women’s football: a serial Champions League winner, a World Cup winner the previous year. There were high expectations.
In her first season, she surpassed those expectations: being voted the Women’s Super League (WSL) Player of the Season, and inspiring Arsenal to Champions League success.
Before this weekend’s Champions League semi-final against Lyon, Caldentey sat down with The Athletic to look through some of her most famous goals and assists, and discuss her journey from Mallorca to north London.
Assisting Olga Carmona in the World Cup final, Spain 1-0 England, 2023
The biggest game in football. I’m interested in how this move works out, because you know you’re up against Lucy Bronze, who moves into midfield and loses the ball.
Yeah, I think the idea of playing me as a winger is a bit like being the fourth midfielder, and that’s why normally, when I have the ball I just dribble inside and then the full-back — here Olga — would just run up and down the whole game, like it’s playing with no winger. We have played together a lot, and she just ran, and screamed to me when she’s ready to receive the ball. It was a great finish.
Presumably you know she’s coming at quite an early stage here. And so what’s your thought process? Are you trying to occupy the defender and create space?
Yeah, I’m trying to give her time to arrive, and try to keep her (points at Jess Carter) engaged to me. Then Olga comes with higher speed, and the defender needed to stop because I was slowing down the ball. So I think that gives the advantage to Olga in that moment.
Tell me about the emotion of this moment.
It’s early in the game. You are so excited, but you don’t want to be too excited because there’s still a long way to go. In the World Cup… you don’t know if you’re going to be there again in the final, it’s like, ‘It’s not done, there still a job to do’.
A scrappy assist for Fridolina Rolfo to hammer home the winner in the Champions League final, Barcelona 3-2 Wolfsburg, 2023
There was another final that year you got an assist in. Maybe an ugly goal, but a beautiful moment.
It’s weird. I tried to finish twice. The first one, I didn’t really hit the ball, or hit it wrong. Two or three times, I couldn’t find the goal, so then, well, yeah, then someone else needs to do it, because I couldn’t do it! I’m losing balance, so just giving it to that player who is coming and can finish clearly, and better than what I did.
And the interesting thing about this final, I think I’m right in saying you were playing as the No 9.
I was playing as a No 9… I’m not sure because it’s the 70th minute here. So in that moment, I think I was a winger already, but I started as a striker.
And how does that suit you, because I’ve seen Barcelona and Spain do that a few times. Is it similar to playing on the left, in that you’re the extra midfielder as much as the No 9?
Yeah, even if I start from the wing or from the 9, the idea is basically to try to overload the midfield. And with three up top, two of them need to be ‘running’ players, and then the other one can be the extra midfielder. But it’s basically the same role. I think in the past, we struggled a bit to get the balance – always, everyone goes to the feet. I think when we had those two (running) players, it was when we became really dangerous.
And it feels like the teams you play for, Spain and Barcelona before, you often do that with substitutes, whether it was Salma Paralluelo coming on in the World Cup or Athenea del Castillo, it feels like you can inject something different and maybe when the opponents are tired, that is often what brings the breakthrough.
Yeah, with Salma or Athenea, if I’m a defender, running for 70 or 80 minutes, you’re already quite tired and players with pace coming on must be so hard. I think it’s something we learned and improved for Barca and Spain — it’s not enough just to have the ball. You need to have a purpose with the ball, and play with players who can run… like here, Frido, she was a left-back in that moment. Then it’s more unpredictable and hard to defend.
Obviously, the first two goals this day were scored by Patri Guijarro, who you played with from a very young age.
I remember when I was in Mallorca and playing with boys’ teams, I had a game away from my town, and before our match I was watching another game and there was one girl. She was the best on the team. And it was Patri, and that was the first time I saw her. Then, we played in the Balearic ‘national team’, and then the Spanish youth team, then we played together in Collerense, then we played together in La Masia (Barcelona’s academy).
We lived together for five years, maybe. We were helping each other a lot because when we shared a flat, the two of us were at uni. So the one who was a bit more free was cooking for the two of us, the other one went for the food shop. We became really close, and then our families, of course, are good with each other as well because my mum and her mum sometimes fly together. So, yeah, it’s special.
And with Cata Coll as well, Mallorca seems a good place for developing footballers?
It was like a big generation because it was Virginia Torrecilla. I don’t know if you remember her because she had to retire because she was ill with cancer. She was a No 6 as well. She was on the top level. She played for Barca, for Montpellier, for Spain. It’s a small island and that generation was really good. And then Cata is a bit younger.
A reverse pass for Jenni Hermoso, Spain 3-1 Czech Republic, 2024
This isn’t such a big game, but I wanted to include it because it’s a very nice assist. It’s what I think of as a Sergio Busquets pass — when I think he’s going to pass it to the right and then he cuts it back. That must feel a really nice pass to play.
Yeah, I think that’s a pass I actually use a lot normally with Aitana (Bonmati) because she plays on the other side, and makes the run diagonally. I like it when I have the ball at my feet and my head up and then I see all the movements — and that’s a beautiful finish, by the way, as well from Jenni — but yeah, I think that’s a pass I use quite a lot, pretending we are changing the point of attack, but we don’t, and we know we are going to do that.
If I just stop the tape: your body position, is that to trick the opposition or is that for balance for yourself to play the pass?
No, I think it’s a bit trying to fake the pass or to hide what I’m going to do… oh, that’s Bara (Votikova, currently on loan at Arsenal), the goalkeeper!
Jenni is very keen to thank you for the pass when you come over.
The mentality in Spain is: we have a lot of good individual players, but we know we make each other better, and I think that’s the strength of the team. We all are good individual players — that’s a really good movement, but then it’s a good pass — we know we need each other, of course, it’s a collective sport.
Heading home the opener in the European Championship final, Spain 1-1 England, 2025
This is maybe a day you don’t have fond memories of, but a really good moment and a nice goal when you went ahead.
Yeah, it’s funny because I’m not a good header. I’m not tall. It’s not my strength at all. Scoring a goal like that in a final, it’s weird for me. But I have to say we actually spoke about that cross before that game. And they were actually being a bit harsh on me before. Because they showed some clips where the space was there, the cross was there, and me as an opposite winger, I wasn’t there, and they were a bit like, ‘Mariona, you need to be there. That’s your space’.
And I was a bit like, ‘OK’, I took it a bit personal. I said, ‘OK, no worries, I will be there’. And then it actually worked out well. Good cross from Ona (Batlle). Sometimes you speak about the game and then things don’t happen how you expect, but this action, we actually spoke about it. So then it feels even better. I think it gives credit as well to the staff, that they show us that can be an option for us.
It felt to me like the overall level in this tournament was probably higher than the World Cup.
Yeah, I just think it’s that women’s football is growing, growing, growing, and it’s getting better. Players are physically, mentally, technically, tactically better, and I think every tournament will be a higher level, for sure. I think we had a good final. We dominated England, but I think England feel OK with that.
You’re in a good position to judge because you play with England players. What’s the stylistic difference between the way the two teams play?
Both teams are used to dominating games and having possession, to attack. But I think England, they look more comfortable when they then have to defend and they don’t have the ball that much — as Spanish players, we feel a bit more stressed or nervous when we feel we are not dominating the game, and, for example, England, they can maybe not play the best game, but in some way they’re gonna make it, and they did it during that Euros. They are just ruthless and they have a winning mentality and I think we care more for how we do it. They are more: we score, we win. We win like that, fine. I think that’s maybe the difference with the teams.
A powerful shot for a consolation goal, Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 Arsenal, 2025
That was not a good game. I remember.
First, what was the adaptation like from playing in Spain your whole life and then coming to England?
It was a natural transition. It felt… not easy, but it just felt good from the start and I knew it was gonna take time and it’s a new club, new connection with new team-mates, everything is different. I think the Arsenal way is the most similar way that we play in Spain or in Barca. We want to dominate the games, we want to attack, we want to have the ball. The counter-pressure is high as well. So, in a way, it was not that a big a difference. It feels I have been here for a long time.
We spoke before about you playing on the left and playing up front. It felt like you were always being played in different roles for Barcelona and Spain. Was part of the attraction with Arsenal that you would have more of a central role?
I think it (a deep midfield role) was a bit unplanned and just happened because we had a lot of injuries and we didn’t have a lot of players there and they thought I can be an option there. It worked and then I stayed there, But again, my role is a bit the same. It’s just, I’m not the extra player coming in, I’m already in. But it’s the same role to get on the ball as much as possible and to try to give advantage to my team-mates.
Is this shot just about power?
During my career, my coaches and team-mates have always said I need to shoot more. In this context, I was mad or annoyed with the game because we were losing. So it was kind of… putting everything in the shot.
A Marta Award-nominated strike, Lyon 1-4 Arsenal, 2025
It’s interesting you say that about being told to shoot more, because you’ve scored lots at Arsenal from similar positions to this. So it’s clearly something you’ve added to your game and, well, this is against your opponents this weekend.
Yeah, I watched it actually the other day. I think being in a central area and playing deeper, closer to our defence — the chances I have to score are more around that area, not actually in the box because I don’t arrive that high. So I think that encouraged me to shoot more, and from Renee (Slegers, Arsenal manager)… my areas now are more on the edge of the box than before, when I played more as a winger or as No 9.
And obviously this is a great goal, but also a great performance. I always feel like away in Europe is when teams prove they can compete with the best.
Yeah, and I remember personally, I was thinking I’ve never won in that stadium. Every time I play there with Barca and then we played in the Olympics as well with Spain, and I have never won there. So I remember arriving at the stadium and then someone told me: ‘You have never lost against Real Madrid until this season, right? And now you have never won here, but you will do it today’. And it was true.
And then there was the final — obviously a great moment for the club, for everyone in the team, but for you especially, having made a move that surprised people to leave Barcelona, then winning the final against them. Did that feel like a justification for you taking that step?
During the season when people asked me, ‘Oh, would you like to play Barca?’, I was always saying just in the final, not before, but I was like… it’s better if it doesn’t happen, but then of course it happened. It was weird and it was a lot of emotions for me and even for my family — of course, 100 per cent they supported Arsenal — but it was weird for them because they have been supporting Barca always, knowing all the players, the families of the players, so it was a lot. And yeah, I was nervous that day.
Obviously, Barcelona players were disappointed in the aftermath, but they must have been happy for you personally?
I’m not sure. I think they are waiting for the revenge.
Maybe they get the chance this year…
I hope, yeah, why not?
A left-footed curler, Arsenal 4-0 Liverpool, 2025
I wanted to include something with your left foot because I wanted to ask you how comfortable you are with your left.
Yeah, I’m clearly a right-footer, but I feel comfortable to play with my left as well, even for passing or for some finishing. Yeah, that’s a good finish.
And most of your goals are quite accurate, aside from the Brighton one, which was power. You quite like a curler into the top corner.
Yeah, I’m more going for the precision and not for the power. Sometimes I even think it’s just a pass to the net. Like, you don’t need to smash it. If you put it in the right place, it’s hard for the goalkeeper and, yeah, I’m more technique in that way, not like for example, Chloe (Kelly) or Less (Alessia Russo), they sometimes smash the ball so hard!
I’ve noticed you use your studs quite a lot.
Yeah!
Is that conscious?
I think it’s because when I started playing, I played five-a-side and in that game you use that part of the foot a lot. And I think because I played a lot like that, I still have some habits in me. The coaches are like, ‘You don’t need to step on the ball’, but I just do it unconsciously, because of my background in five-a-side. It’s better controlled.
A blast inside the near post, Manchester City 3-2 Arsenal, 2025
In this one, you’re coming onto the ball, and I want to ask about the timing of your runs.
Actually, we spoke with Foxy (Emily Fox) that this cut-back might be on. I wanted to take an extra touch, but then the ball was quite close and I just changed my mind… it’s a weird shot because I changed my mind last minute.
Beforehand, you’re pointing where you want the pass. And you seem to do that quite a lot.
Yeah, I don’t really like to scream on the pitch — I don’t really like it when I have the ball and have players screaming around me. I think the player who has the ball needs to make their own decision. I normally don’t scream to receive the ball, I’m more pointing with my hands. I think that’s another habit I learned when I was a kid and I still do it a lot — if the player who has the ball puts their head up and looks, they can still see me. I don’t need to scream to them. I use my body language more than my voice.
I believe that, when you first came to England, you were confused that we say ‘pocket of space’ for situations like this.
(Bursts out laughing) I remember the first time. I was in training and Jonas (Eidevall, former manager) and Aaron (D’Antino, assistant coach) and Renee said, ‘Mariona, in the pocket!’ and I was like, ‘What’s the pocket?’ I know pocket is that (points to her shorts) but what do you mean?
I’d never considered it was a weird word, but it is.
Because sometimes you just translate from Spanish to English and then it’s the same word, but in Spain… what’s cuadrado in English? Square? So we call it square. Cuadrado. And it’s pocket? I was like, ‘What’s the pocket?’
A composed finish, Chelsea 0-2 Arsenal, 2026
This was a great performance from Arsenal. It felt like you went there, really dominated, you had a clear game plan and it was a convincing victory.
I think that was a really good game, a team performance. That was one of my favourite games of this season so far. I remember with Beth (Mead)… in the first half, we had one similar action and she didn’t play that ball. She said, ‘I saw you, sorry. The next one I will play it to you’. And then the second half, she did.
And again, you’ve got your arms up for quite a long time here. No Chelsea player really notices.
I was like, ‘Perfect’. Yeah, when there are a lot of people (in the crowd), you can scream, but you might not hear it because there’s a lot of noise around. So it’s easy to see, you just put up your arms.
Tell me about the finish.
Sometimes when we do finishing in training and the staff say, ‘You need to finish quick’, and then the goalkeepers are annoyed because you take too many touches, but then I always say: I would actually do that in the game. I don’t want to rush to finish. You need to be calm as well and you actually have more time than you think. I’d rather take a touch, and extra seconds, to have a better angle to finish.
A through ball for Olivia Smith, Arsenal, 1-0 Manchester City, 2026
This is a really nice goal.
Yeah, that’s a nice build-up. I have been playing a lot with Kim (Little) and then you naturally create that connection and you know what each other wants. We just play a small one-two which… maybe it’s a bit in a dangerous area or whatever… but then, we have the advantage because all the space is open and then when you have the pace with Liv — or sometimes it’s Stina (Blackstenius) or Caitlin (Foord) with all that space — you know they’re gonna kill it. So you just need to put the ball there and they will do the job.
Obviously, this would often be Stina rather than Olivia, but Alessia likes receiving the ball to feet and you’ve always got the striker going in behind. For you on the ball, it must feel like you’ve always got a lot of forward options.
Yeah. I love it when we can play forward and, as Arsenal, we want to have the ball and play longer attacks, but sometimes with the pace we have — like what we were speaking about before — when you have both options then you are unpredictable. If we always play to Less in the feet, then they (the defence) will always step (up). So then we can take advantage of the run… it’s hard, because probably Liv runs 10 times and only receives the ball once, but then it works.
And you mentioned your partnership with Kim in possession. I think of you both… she wears No 10, she’s a very creative player… when you first started playing together I was like…
…(pretends to look scared) yes, it’s so offensive…
…this is two No 10s! So how does it work defensively?
Kim is naturally a better defender than me. She has a really strong body and she’s really hard to dribble past. But yeah, it is an offensive midfield, but individually I’ve been working a lot more on how to defend the box, because I’m normally not in that situation. So I made some mistakes during this season and fortunately we weren’t punished. We review that and try to improve — I needed to be better to play in that position.
In other situations, I’m a player who reacts quick for the counter-pressure and I like to jump, I like to press, but then in our box, that was my weakness. Now I’m getting better and more comfortable in that situation, but Kim gives us more balance — she will always be there and do the dirty work and the tackles. I think she’s a more balanced player than me.
Well, it’s interesting you say that because I looked at the statistics from last year and, in the WSL you were right up there in terms of goals and assists, but you also had the second-highest number of tackles, which is maybe not something you expected when you came.
I think I’m just an aggressive player and I don’t like it when we don’t have the ball, so I just want the ball back as soon as possible. So this counter-pressure… I do lose the ball quite a lot as well because I’m trying to risk passes and play forward and it doesn’t always work. I was a centre-back, actually, until I was 14, which is a bit surprising. I think in open play I’m OK, I can defend, but it was more in that specific situation where it’s in the box and crosses and long balls, where I had to work on it.
I said earlier that Jenni Hermoso thanked you for the pass and Olivia Smith is very pleased to see you in the celebration.
She’s scored a few goals where I assisted her, so it’s nice. She looks happy!
You’re very modest when you talk about your game, but you seem like a player that your team-mates really enjoy playing with, particularly the attackers. It feels like you know their runs, you know what kind of passes they want.
When I can face forward and have the ball, and then the team-mates do the movements, it’s easy to find them. I love to have players who run in front of me. I’d rather not be the one who runs, I’d rather have the ball! You need to know each other and Liv was new this year, so I think it took a bit of time to get to know each other, but I already knew what she can do and what she’s good at, and she knows that I can play those passes. It’s just about taking advantage of each other.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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