Luis de la Fuente’s men’s national team returned victroious from EURO 2024 in Germany after beating England 2-1 in a thrilling final in Berlin.
In fact, La Roja won all seven of their assignments at the prestigious tournament with City’s Rodrigo being named Player of the Tournament as the curtain fell on the competition.
Another Blues player aiming to win gold for her country is Laia Aleixandri who has been named in Montserrat Tome’s Spain squad for the upcoming Olympic games.
MODERN DEFENDER
Aleixandri’s versatility and tactical flexibility could see her become one of the most important players for her nation at the games in Paris.
As showcased throughout her time at City so far, she is confident and comfortable with the ball at her feet, but also possesses the ruthless defensive qualities needed to operate at the highest levels.
Such qualities were vital to Gareth Taylor’s side last term which saw her make 29 appearances in all competitions – the most of any defender within our ranks.
This is because the boss implemented a fluid backline across the season, with each member switching position throughout matches which helped us push for the WSL title – being kept from the summit only by goal difference by the term’s end.
The Spain international also increased her productivity in the opposition box in 2023/24, netting her first goal for the Club in a 5-0 win over Bristol City at the Joie Stadium.
Although this will be her first taste of the Olympics, Aleixandri is no stranger to a major competition for her nation.
After winning the Under-17 European Championships in 2016, she progressed through the age groups before being included in Spain’s Under-20s squad for the 2018 World Cup where they reached the final before losing to Japan in the showpiece.
She soon made her senior La Roja bow when featuring in a friendly win over Cameroon in 2019 before making their EURO 2022 squad for the major tournament in England.
Across the competition, she featured in all three of her nation’s group games before coming from the bench in their narrow 2-1 defeat to the Lionesses at the quarter-finals.
ALEIXANDRI: NEED TO KNOW
Aleixandri signed for City in the summer of 2022 – arriving from Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid.
So far she has made 54 appearances for the Club in all competitions, scoring two goals and helping us match our best-ever WSL points tally last term.
She started her career at Barcelona at youth team level and played for their B team before joining Atletico Madrid in 2017 where she made over 100 appearances for the Liga F side.
So far she has made 25 senior appearances for Spain.
LOOKING TO ADD
The summer before Spain’s men’s team won Euro 2024, La Roja’s women lifted the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Between the two major tournament successes, Aleixandri helped her country to their maiden Nations League success in 2024.
After winning the group A3 they qualified for the finals which was contested in February 2024 with Spain facing the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
City’s versatile defender played the full 90 minutes of the last-four as a defensive midfielder – helping her nation to a 3-0 win.
Then, in the final, she once again operated in the number six position as Spain beat France 2-0 to lift the trophy thanks to goals from Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey.
And this summer they’ll be aiming to win a fourth tournament across the past 12 months.
OLYMPICS SCHEDULE
Spain have been placed in Group C with Japan, Nigeria and Brazil.
Their fixture details are as follows:
Spain v Japan | 16:00 | Thursday 25 July | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Spain v Nigeria | 18:00 | Sunday 28 July | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Brazil v Spain | 16:00 | Wednesday 31 July | Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux
