Spain Women’s National Team striker Salma Paralluelo has revealed plans on how La Roja is planning to stop the Copper Queens when they meet at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia & New Zealand.
The 19-year-old Barcelona winger is optimistic about Spain’s progression from Group C when they face Costa Rica, Zambia, and Japan.
Paralluelo, a former 400m athlete champion, has already played for Spain’s Under-17, Under-19, and Under-20 national teams.
She won the 2018 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship, the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
She made her senior debut for Spain on 11 November 2022 and marked her territory in the team with a hat-trick in the 7-0 thrashing of Argentina.
Paralluelo has given her verdict on each of Spain’s opponents in the World Cup group. She is of the view that each team in the group will pose a great challenge to La Roja.
“Every opponent will be a challenge,” Paralluelo told FIFA.com. “We’ll have to focus on every match and carefully prepare in order to win.”
Spain will open their World Cup campaign against Costa Rica and Paralluelo said the CONCACAF team will be tough opponents when they meet for the first time.
“We haven’t played against Costa Rica yet… But they’re a Concacaf team who are always tough to play,” the former Villarreal winger said.
“Zambia are physical,” – Paralluelo
In the second match, Spain comes up against the Copper Queens and the Barcelona forward is aware of the physical threat the reigning COSAFA Women’s champions pose.
Paralluelo urges her team to find a way of stopping Zambia’s physically imposing threat when they come head-to-head on 26 July 2023.
“Zambia are physical, they have very strong players,” she stated. “so we’ll have to find a way to stop them and get the win.”
The last match against Japan was 1-nil for Spain but the winger is expecting another tough match.
“We’ve already played against Japan. It was a tough game. They’re a very organized team who like to control the ball,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Football Association of Zambia has disclosed that the Copper Queens will have an international camp in Germany prior to the World Cup.
The Bruce Mwape drilled side will enter camp on June 3 with the 35 players who have been summoned.
They will play the Republic of Ireland on June 22 before facing Germany on July 7 in friendly matches.
Zambia opens its World Cup campaign with a match against Japan on 22nd July at 08:30Hrs (CAT).
