From the nation that claimed the final 4 Ballon d’Or awards, Spain has a brand new star.
The 18-year-old Vicky López introduced her arrival on the massive stage Thursday by serving to Spain to a gap 5-0 rout of Portugal on the Women’s European Championship.
It was Spain’s greatest win on the event, eclipsing the 4-1 win over Finland at Euro 2022.
López added the second purpose simply minutes after Esther González scored the primary, and she or he proved a relentless risk for the beleaguered Portuguese protection, organising probabilities for Alexia Putellas and enjoying a decisive position earlier than González’ second purpose.
Her efficiency earned reward from Spain coach Montse Tomé, even when she understandably tried to reign within the burgeoning expectations.
“She’s a younger participant with whom we now have to be affected person,” Tomé mentioned. “We’ve been working together with her for a yr, nearly two years now. Now we have a variety of religion in her expertise, and she or he’s at some extent the place we’ve been capable of give her minutes (of enjoying time) now. She responded nicely. She did the job she needed to do very nicely.”
Tomé mentioned López nonetheless had loads of time to develop. “Now we have to maintain serving to her enhance. She’s very younger, and we’re right here to assist her proceed having fun with what she does,” the Spain coach mentioned.
It’s clear that Tomé’s religion is paying off for the participant.
“After I play with confidence, I play higher,” López informed media within the combined zone after Thursday’s match. “Whenever you play with out confidence, it’s unhealthy. In the end I’m grateful for the belief that I’m proven as a result of I attempt to be myself on the sector.”
López performed until the 81st minute when she made manner for Aitana Bonmatí, who began on the bench after being hospitalized for viral meningitis last week. Bonmatí received the final two Ballon d’Or awards. Putellas received the earlier two. All three gamers are teammates at Barcelona.
At 18 days and 342 days previous, López turned Spain’s youngest participant to look on the European Championship. She’d already set the document because the nation’s youngest participant when she made her debut final yr.
López turned the youngest participant to play in Spain’s high ladies’s league when she performed for Madrid CFF aged 15. She joined Barcelona in 2022 and went on to interrupt extra data there due to her age, together with turning into the membership’s youngest participant, male or feminine, to look within the Champions League.
“My household is the muse of my complete life, and, after all, my father,” mentioned López, whose mom died when she was 11 years previous, and who nonetheless seems to the sky after she scores.
Although Bonmatí is prone to play a larger position within the subsequent video games, López will get extra alternatives to shine. She’s already considering of the workforce’s targets.
“We’re hungry for extra,” López mentioned. “I believe if we hold going like this, enjoying as a workforce and having that luck in entrance of purpose, we’ll have the ability to play an excellent European Championship.”
Up subsequent, Spain performs Belgium on Monday (noon ET on FS1).
Reporting by The Related Press.
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