Spain’s Salma Paralluelo proves the sports industry’s future is already unfolding

The World Cup has been an arena for the greatest soccer players worldwide and aspiring athletes to showcase their skills and become future legends. The emergence of standout talents like Linda Caicedo, Esmee Brugts, Hinata Miyazawa, Lauren James, and Spain’s Salma Paralluelo proves the sports industry’s future is already unfolding.

Paralluelo has caught everyone’s attention with her incredible performance on the field. She handles the ball with remarkable ease and even better than some of her more experienced counterparts.

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The skilled 19-year-old winger scored the winning goal in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands and also scored to lead her team to victory in the semi-finals against Sweden.

Despite only making her international debut in November, she is now preparing for the World Cup final.

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Paralluelo, born in Zaragoza in northern Spain, was a former athletics champion, competing in hurdles and 400m. When she was 15, she participated in the 2019 European athletics championships. In 2019, she signed for Villarreal and scored 23 goals in 37 appearances before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury. A remarkable goal against Barcelona earned her a nomination for the 2022 Puskás Award.

After Barça offered her a place on their team, she had to choose between the two sports. With the decision made, she hit the ground running in her first season, making 30 appearances and scoring 15 goals across all competitions. She helped Barça win the Liga F, Supercopa Femenina, and Champions League trophies, an impressive accomplishment for someone in their first year.

In 2018, she played a significant role in Spain’s victory in the Under-17 European Championship and Under-17 World Cup. In August of last year, she joined the Under-20 team and went to Costa Rica, where she scored three goals.