Celia
Celia in 2014
Personal information
Full name Celia Jiménez Delgado[1]
Date of birth (1995-06-20) 20 June 1995
Place of birth Alcaudete, Andalusia, Spain
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Right wing-back
Team information
Current team
 Orlando Pride
Number 13
Youth career
ADV Alcaudete
Real Jaén
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Iowa Western Reivers 33 (29)
2015–2017 Alabama Crimson Tide 39 (7)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 Real Jaén
2010–2013 Sevilla
2018 Seattle Sounders
2018 FC Rosengård 9 (1)
2019–2021 OL Reign 16 (1)
2019–2020 → Perth Glory (loan) 9 (3)
2020–2021 → Lyon (loan) 0 (0)
2022– Orlando Pride 26 (2)
International career‡
2010–2012 Spain U17 12 (0)
2012–2014 Spain U19 13 (4)
2014–2019 Spain 25 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 31 December 2022

Celia Jiménez Delgado (born 20 June 1995), commonly known as Celia,[2] is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right wing-back for Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Spain national team.[3]

Early life

Born in Alcaudete, Andalusia, Celia grew up playing football at school during recess, leading her mother to encourage her to join hometown club ADV Alcaudete. At the age of 12, Celia was no longer allowed to play on boys' teams and left to join the girls' academy at Real Jaén.[4] She debuted for the senior team of FCF Atlético Jiennense, Jaén's female affiliate, during the 2009–10 Superliga Femenina season, becoming the youngest Spanish first division player at the age of 14.[5] Ahead of the 2010–11 Superliga Femenina season, Celia joined Sevilla but the team was relegated to the Segunda División at the end of the campaign before winning promotion back to the Primera División the following season. After three seasons, Celia left Sevilla.

College career

Celia grew up fascinated by engineering and watched her older sister, Laura, pursue a career in aerospace engineering. Celia wanted to follow in her sister's footsteps but did not want to give up playing football so, despite fielding offers from clubs in Spain, decided moved to the United States on a scholarship to play collegiately while studying aerospace engineering.[6] She spent two years at Iowa Western Community College, helping the Reivers to win the NJCAA National Championship title as a freshman while being named to the NJCAA 2013 All-Tournament Team and as the most valuable forward in the tournament. She earned first-team All-American honours at the junior college level in both seasons.[7]

In 2015, Celia transferred to the University of Alabama to join NCAA Division I program Alabama Crimson Tide. In her first season with the team, Celia made 19 appearances and was selected to the All-SEC second-team.[7] She suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2016 preseason and considered retiring but, having spent a redshirt year focusing on her studies, returned in 2017 to make 20 appearances and earned All-SEC first-team honours.[4]

Club career

Seattle Sounders

On 18 January 2018, Celia was selected in the fourth round (36th overall) of the 2018 NWSL College Draft by Seattle Reign. In doing so she became the first Spanish player and the first Alabama Crimson Tide player to be drafted into the NWSL.[8][4] She did not initially sign with the team, instead opting to remain in college to finish her degree. After graduating in June 2018, Celia trained full-time with Reign FC while playing for Women's Premier Soccer League side Seattle Sounders during the remainder of the 2018 WPSL season, scoring the winning goal in the Championship final.[9][10]

FC Rosengård

On 13 August 2018, Celia joined Swedish Damallsvenskan club FC Rosengård for the remainder of the 2018 Damallsvenskan season.[11] She made her debut five days later, starting in a 10–0 win over IFK Kalmar. She made a total of 14 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal in a 3–0 win over Kristianstads DFF on 23 September.[3]

Reign FC

Ahead of the 2019 NWSL season, Celia returned to sign with Reign FC.[12] In her first season with the team, Celia made 13 appearances including 10 starts and scored once, the only goal in a 1–0 win over derby rivals Portland Thorns FC.[3]

During the NWSL offseason, Celia joined Australian W-League club Perth Glory in November 2019 on loan for the 2019–20 W-League season.[13] She made nine appearances and scored three goals.[3]

With the 2020 NWSL season disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Celia played for the newly rebranded OL Reign during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup before missing the four-game friendly Fall Series to join Division 1 Féminine side and sister club of the OL Reign, Olympique Lyonnais, on loan until June 2021.[14] She ultimately didn't make an appearance for the team and was recalled from loan in February to prepare for Reign preseason.[15] Despite not playing, Celia stated: "Being at OL pushed me to keep growing and developing as a player. I am very grateful for the opportunity both clubs gave to me." Ahead of the 2021 season, Celia also received a permanent resident green card meaning she no longer occupied an NWSL international roster spot.[16]

Orlando Pride

On 18 December 2021, Celia was traded during the 2022 NWSL Draft along with Leah Pruitt, the 10th overall pick, and a second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft to Orlando Pride in exchange for Phoebe McClernon.[17]

International career

Youth

Celia has represented Spain at multiple youth levels, captaining both the under-17 and under-19 teams. She was part of the team that won the 2011 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, appearing as a 40th-minute substitute in the final against France and also finished as runner-up at the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship.[7]

Senior

Celia made her senior international debut aged 19 on 17 September 2014, starting against the Czech Republic during 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification but had to be substituted after 25 minutes with an injury.[18] With only three caps for Spain, Celia was included in the squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, the youngest player in the squad.[1] She started in all three of Spain's group stage games in the country's first appearance at a FIFA Women's World Cup. Spain were eliminated as bottom of the group having lost to Brazil and South Korea, and drew with Costa Rica.[3]

In 2017, Celia was named to her second successive major tournament squad as Spain contested the UEFA Women's Euro 2017.[19] She was an unused substitute behind Marta Torrejón in all four games as Spain were eliminated on penalties by Austria in the quarter-finals.[3]

In 2018, Celia was part of the squad that won the 2018 Cyprus Women's Cup.[20][21]

In 2019, Celia was called up for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[22] She made one appearance, as an 86th-minute substitute in a goalless draw with China in the group. Spain were eliminated in the round of 16 by eventual winners United States.[3]

Career statistics

College summary

School Season Division Apps Goals
Iowa Western Reivers 2013[23] NJCAA 2321
2014[24] 108
Total 3329
Alabama Crimson Tide 2015 NCAA 194
2016 00
2017 203
Total 397
Career total 7236

Club summary

As of 15 October 2023[3]
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Playoffs Continental[lower-alpha 2] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FC Rosengård 2018 Damallsvenskan 9110—40141
OL Reign 2019 NWSL 121—10—131
2020 —40——40
2021 1204100—161
Total 241811000332
Perth Glory (loan) 2019–20 W-League 93———93
Lyon (loan) 2020–21 Division 1 0000—0000
Orlando Pride 2022 NWSL 18230——212
2023 8020——100
Total 262500000312
Career total 6871411040878

International summary

As of 18 December 2021
Spain
YearAppsGoals
201410
201560
201630
201700
201870
201960
202000
Total230

Honours

College

Iowa Western Reivers

  • NJCAA National Championship: 2013

Club

Seattle Sounders

International

References

  1. 1 2 "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 – List of Players: Spain" (PDF). FIFA. 6 July 2015. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "Celia". nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Celia Jiménez – Soccerway profile". Soccerway.
  4. 1 2 3 "Celia Jiménez, de Alcaudete a Australia". Reinas del balón (in Spanish). 10 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "Celia Jiménez y el temor goleador de los grandes". Marca.
  6. ↑ "Where aerospace engineering and NCAA soccer meet". 16 October 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 "Celia Jimenez Delgado - Soccer". University of Alabama Athletics.
  8. ↑ "Alabama Soccer's Celia Jimenez Delgado Drafted 36th Overall by the Seattle Reign FC". Alabama Athletics. 18 January 2018.
  9. ↑ Voght, Steve (12 December 2018). "Seattle Reign FC sign Spanish international Celia Jiménez Delgado". Sounder At Heart.
  10. 1 2 "Sounders Win 2018 WPSL Championship". Women's Premier Soccer League. 22 July 2018.
  11. ↑ Ericsson, Magnus (13 August 2018). "Celia Jiménez Delgado klar för FCR". FC Rosengård. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  12. ↑ "Reign FC Sign Spanish International Defender Celia Jiménez Delgado". OL Reign.
  13. ↑ "Signed, Celia-d, delivered!". Perth Glory. 8 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "Celia Jiménez Delgado Loaned to Olympique Lyonnais". OL Reign.
  15. ↑ "El Lyon anuncia que Celia Jiménez regresa a Estados Unidos". AS.com (in Spanish). 20 February 2021.
  16. ↑ Kriger, Rachael (19 February 2021). "OL Reign recalls Jess Fishlock, Celia Jiménez Delgado from European loans". Sounder At Heart.
  17. ↑ "OL Reign Acquire Defender Phoebe McClernon in Trade with Orlando Pride". OL Reign. 18 December 2021.
  18. ↑ "Vero Boquete pone la guinda al pastel mundialista". MARCA (in Spanish). 17 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Convocatoria de la Selección femenina para el Campeonato de Europa". www.rfef.es. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  20. ↑ "Spain Announce Squad for the Cyprus Women's Cup 2018". Womens Soccer United. 20 February 2018.
  21. 1 2 "¡España, campeona de la Cyprus Cup!". www.rfef.es (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  22. ↑ "Estas son las convocadas de la Selección española femenina para la Copa Mundial de Francia". www.sefutbol.com (in Spanish). 20 May 2019. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  23. ↑ "Celia Jimenez 2013 NJCAA". NJCAA stats.
  24. ↑ "Celia Jimenez 2014 NJCAA". NJCAA stats.
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