Del Castillo and Spain 'full of hope' ahead of Germany Euro 2025 semi
The Real Madrid attacker, 24, was brought into Spain's starting line-up for their last group game against Italy and scored an early equaliser before her team went on to win 3-1.
She was then relegated back to the bench for the last-eight tie against hosts Switzerland in Bern but the game changed after her introduction as a substitute just past the hour mark.
Del Castillo replaced Mariona Caldentey and broke the deadlock four minutes later, setting Spain up for a 2-0 victory -- and surely giving coach Montse Tome a selection headache for the clash with Germany in Zurich.
"I have to just focus on the things that I can influence. Luckily I am managing to help the team whatever my role is, whether I am starting or not," Del Castillo told AFP at the Spanish team's base in Lausanne.
A win for Spain against Germany will keep them on track to add a first ever European crown to the World Cup they won in 2023, when they defeated England in the final.
"We are full of hope, we are so excited. We dream of being European champions but to do that we need to win on Wednesday so all our energy is going into that game," Del Castillo said.
"We know all about the potential in the Germany team. They are a great side who have been European champions eight times after all."
Spain still lean heavily on the players who won them the World Cup, notably Ballon d'Or Aitana Bonmati as well as her fellow Barcelona stars Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes.
But Del Castillo, while not yet a guaranteed starter, has become a more important player than during that tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Then, under previous coach Jorge Vilda, she started the team's first match before gradually disappearing from circulation.
She then featured in the side that participated in the 2024 Olympics and lost to Germany in the bronze medal match -- a defeat they will seek to avenge on Wednesday.
Infectious
"We have been through so much together and that has helped us mature as a team," she said on the margins of a training session by Lake Geneva.
"I still see myself as one of the youngsters even though there are players much younger than me like Vicky (Lopez) and Maite (Zubieta), and then there are older players like Irene and Alexia who have been around longer and been to so many more tournaments.
"We have that mix of youth and experience, of joy but also maturity."
Del Castillo is known for her glowing smile and infectious personality, and she has no intention of changing even as she becomes more and more recognisable thanks to her exploits with Spain and Real.
"I have not changed much. I still do the same things, I still try to enjoy life and luckily everything is going well at home, with my family and friends," said the native of Cantabria in northern Spain.
Athenea Del Castillo (L) in action for Spain against Portugal during the group stage
© SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP/File
"I am very happy in Madrid -- I prefer the north but I like Madrid as a city. I love to go out for a wander, listen to music, be with my family.
"If I changed what I did off the pitch that would also change me on it and I don't like that because then I would lose my essence."
Despite still being at a relatively tender age, the player who idolised Cristiano Ronaldo growing up now has over 60 caps and is conscious of being a leader in the Spain squad.
"I know how to differentiate between moments when you have to work and times when you can give a little bit of joy," she said, before suggesting that the side has improved since losing to Germany at last year's Olympics.
"I think we have matured a lot since then. We are better at controlling games in different moments now. I think that will help us, but it will above all be about staying calm and focusing on our objective."
© 2025 AFP
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