Athenea del Castillo shines at press conference in Switzerland

Lausanne, Switzerland – Athenea del Castillo was the center of attention during a press conference at the Juan Antonio Samaranch Stadium on July 8, 2025. A journalist asked the young forward how she spends her free time while training with the Spanish national team. “I’m young and have so many thoughts during the day, but I like to distract myself. I’ve started reading and watching series. Most of all, I’m with María Méndez; we are like Pili and Mili, spending a lot of time together,” the footballer said.

The journalist then pressed her about the book she was currently reading. Athenea laughed and, slightly embarrassed, remarked to her press officer, Patricia Pérez, “Oh no, they caught me!” which elicited laughter from the room. She later stated that the book was about leadership, though she couldn’t recall its title. She emphasized the importance of developing leadership qualities at Real Madrid. “This is an exciting year for us at the club,” she said. “Anything I can absorb here will help improve our environment at the club.”

Athenea has recently been playing as a right winger. In two matches with Spain, she has been chosen by coach Tomé to replace Claudia Pina. “I am very happy to be here. It’s tough to make the roster, but I’m glad to get minutes and contribute,” she noted. She acknowledged that some players haven’t yet played, saying, “It’s very difficult to break into the starting lineup or make substitutions. We all want to play full matches, but Montse (Tomé) decides.”

When asked about the team’s performance, having already qualified for the Euro 2024 quarter-finals after victories over Portugal and Belgium, Athenea expressed that their focus is not on potential opponents but on their own game. “We need to deliver our best version and aim to win every game. We want to beat Italy, and then we’ll see who we face next,” she said.

Athenea mentioned the team’s excitement for reaching the quarter-finals, which was their goal. “This is a moment to enjoy, and starting tomorrow, we will prepare for the crucial match against Italy. The team has worked hard for times like this,” she concluded.

Spain will return to training on Wednesday in preparation for the match against Italy on Friday at 21:00 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern. Athenea stated, “Against Italy will be a tense match that demands our highest level of performance. We must give our all.”