logo
Caldentey's Arsenal stint boosting her bid for Euros and Ballon d'Or glory

Caldentey's Arsenal stint boosting her bid for Euros and Ballon d'Or glory

France 24a day ago
Versatile Caldentey is back with her former Barcelona teammates in a powerful Spain side who are the clear favourites for overall victory in Switzerland, ahead of La Roja's second Group B match with Belgium on Monday.
The reigning world champions looked a cut above the rest of the tournament in Thursday's 5-0 hammering of Portugal, and expectations are high for Spain to win Euro 2025.
"We see it (the pressure) more as a privilege. I think in recent years we've become more accustomed to it. You have to live with it," says the 29-year-old in an interview with AFP.
"We have a lot of weapons... We're a super-complete team."
Caldentey came into Euro 2025 on a high from winning the women's Champions League with Arsenal, beating her old Barca buddies who have dominated Spanish and European women's football in recent seasons in the final.
"The Barca "DNA" is obviously a style of football I love and is more or less similar to what we want to play here (with Spain)," says Caldentey.
"But I knew that leaving would also provide me with a change in style, and that was what I was looking for."
Her first season in England, which she likens to the Erasmus European student programme, could barely have gone better.
Triumph in the Champions League -- her third in as many seasons -- came after she was crowned the Women's Super League's player of the year.
"I see it as an Erasmus because I will go back to Spain. It's a bit of an adventure," says Caldentey.
"I wanted to learn to adapt to a different game... The first year has gone by very quickly -- I've really enjoyed it but I still have a lot to do.
"Getting out of your comfort zone is always a challenge and helps you develop. The English league is a different kind of football, more physical, with lots of turnovers of possession, and open."
Caldentey scored 21 goals and set up 16 more for Arsenal last season and that has led to suggestions that she may usurp compatriots Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati for the women's Ballon d'Or.
Putellas and Bonmati have shared the Ballon d'Or over the past four seasons and are the the main obstacles to Caldentey being honoured at September's gala event in Paris.
"Obviously it's an honour and a privilege to have your name mentioned for such a big award, but right now what I have to do is play well at the Euros," says Caldentey.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Spotlight on Arabic performances as Avignon festival gets underway
Spotlight on Arabic performances as Avignon festival gets underway

France 24

time5 hours ago

  • France 24

Spotlight on Arabic performances as Avignon festival gets underway

00:59 07/07/2025 Neighbour makes daring rescue of family trapped in burning Paris flat 07/07/2025 BRICS nations slam Trump tariffs, condemn strikes on Iran 07/07/2025 Poland reinstates border controls with Germany, Lithuania amid migration fears 07/07/2025 Netanyahu heads to Washington but will 'victory lap' be overshadowed by Gaza? 07/07/2025 Texas flood death toll mounts as questions asked over warning system 07/07/2025 'Netanyahu wants to perpetuate status quo: No agreement, no political framework, no Gaza withdrawal' Middle East 06/07/2025 Oasis: What's the story? "A man with a fork in a world of soup" UK 06/07/2025 San Fermin bull-running festival kicks off in Spain Europe 06/07/2025 Brics countries meet in Brazil and focus to moderate agenda

Norway reach Euro 2025 quarter-finals as Swiss down eliminated Iceland
Norway reach Euro 2025 quarter-finals as Swiss down eliminated Iceland

France 24

time16 hours ago

  • France 24

Norway reach Euro 2025 quarter-finals as Swiss down eliminated Iceland

Caroline Graham Hansen snatched the three points in Sion with a mishit cross six minutes before the end to give Norway a perfect six points from their two Group A fixtures. And hosts Switzerland beating Iceland ensured that Gemma Grainger's Norway have won the group with a match to spare, setting up a last-eight clash with the the team that finishes second in Group B. "We need to get better at some things, but the best thing is that we will keep getting better. If you can get better while winning games, that's the ideal formula," said Grainger. Norway looked set to dominate when Eva Nystrom diverted Hansen's low cross into her own net, and they were unlucky not be two ahead midway through the first half after striking the woodwork twice in the space of a minute. First, Ingrid Engen nodded Vilde Boe Risa's probing cross onto the post in the 24th minute. Then, Finland goalkeeper Anna Koivunen tipped an inswinging corner onto the upright. Koivunen pulled off two more superb stops four minutes later, tipping away Hansen's low drive before charging out to deny Ada Hegerberg just as it looked like the former Ballon d'Or winner was certain to net from close range. Koivunen's goalkeeping heroics were rewarded in the 32nd minute when Oona Sevenius kept her head on the edge of the penalty box to guide home a superb leveller. Finland suddenly looked far more likely to take the points, with Eveliina Summanen denied a brilliant goal when Norway goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand tipped a shot onto the post. Hansen seemed to have missed her chance to win the match for Norway in the 82nd minute when she blasted over from point-blank range. She made up moments later when she skipped past two Finnish defenders, burst into the box, evaded two more players and lofted the ball in off the post. Swiss eye quarters The Swiss sit second, three points behind Norway, after Geraldine Reuteler and Alayah Pilgrim delighted a passionate home crowd at the Wankdorf Stadium. Pia Sundhage's team need to avoid defeat against Finland on Thursday to reach the knockout stage of the Euros for first time. "I'm very proud of the team because we changed at half-time, in the second half we changed the system a little bit and I think they did great," Sundhage told Swiss broadcaster RSI. "Now? let's take the next step and see how it goes." Eintracht Frankfurt forward Reuteler opened the scoring with a smart finish at the end of a fine passing move in the 76th minute, finally breaking the deadlock of a contest in which both teams struck the woodwork. And in the final minute Pilgrim put Switzerland in second place above Finland on goal difference with a wildly deflected effort from just outside the area. Defeat for Iceland left them on zero points and without any chance of reaching the next round as they have an inferior head-to-head record with both the Swiss and Finland ahead of their final fixture with Norway.

Verstappen laments 'really difficult' Silverstone fifth
Verstappen laments 'really difficult' Silverstone fifth

France 24

time18 hours ago

  • France 24

Verstappen laments 'really difficult' Silverstone fifth

The four-time world champion led in the early stages before being overhauled by the McLarens of championship leader Oscar Piastri and eventual race winner Lando Norris, dropped to 10th after a mid-race spin and then battled back to take fifth on the closing lap. "That was really tough," he said. "Yesterday (Saturday) was alright, but today was really difficult. "From the beginning we didn't have the speed. At the restart, I spun. Then I got stuck in the midfield, and then I had no more speed, which is just not good." "I did expect it to be a tricky race with this weather, but not that difficult and challenging," he added. During the race he exclaimed that "this car is just so difficult to drive", a complaint heard from most of the drivers who have been his team-mate in recent times. On Sunday, his current team-mate Yuki Tsunoda finished 15th. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said: "The race was exciting, it always is in those conditions. For us, we took a bit of a gamble with the weather, expecting a dry race. "But I think Max did really well. He stuck with it and he got unlucky at the restart. I'm not sure what happened with Oscar, but it put Max on the wrong part of the track and then he had the spin which put him down in the order. "Once the circuit started to dry up, he managed to pick his way through the pack and it was a good recovery to P5. Not the result we were looking for." Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton found some hope for the future after his run of 12 consecutive home race podiums ended when he finished fourth for Ferrari. The seven-time world champion, who has won 15 times in all at Silverstone, was hoping his recent resurgence of form with Ferrari's revised car could enable him to finish again in the top three and for the first time with his new team. But in a chaotic rain and accident-punctuated race he was beaten to the third podium spot by Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg. "The car was unbelievably tricky to drive," said Hamilton. "I think, ultimately, I learned a lot -- there's lots to take from the day. It's only my second time driving in the wet in this car. "I can't even express how hard it is. It's not a car that likes these conditions, but having lots of data to take from this gives me a chance to sit down with the people that are designing the car for next year because there are elements of this car that can go into it. "It was the most difficult car I've driven here in these conditions – a difficult day for everybody I think, and not the result that I was hoping for." © 2025 AFP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store