Estefanía Banini

Estefanía Banini
Personal information
Full nameEstefanía Romina Banini Ruíz
Date of birth21 June 1990
Place of birthMendoza, Argentina
Height162 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Washington Spirit
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2011–2014Colo-Colo
2015–Washington Spirit
National team
Argentina
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Banini and the second or maternal family name is Ruíz.

Estefanía Romina Banini Ruíz (born 21 June 1990) is a Argentine football forward currently playing for American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Washington Spirit.[1] She previously spent four seasons with Colo-Colo of the Chilean women's football championship. Banini is a member of the Argentine women's national team.[2] She is often referred to as the female equivalent of male football star Lionel Messi and the Marta of Argentina.[3][4][5][6]

Playing career

Club

Colo-Colo

Banini played for Colo-Colo in Chile from 2011 to 2014. In December 2014, she captained the team to win its ninth consecutive national title after scoring twice and defeating Santiago Morning 3-1.[7][8]

Washington Spirit

In January 2015, it was announced that Banini had signed with the Washington Spirit for the third season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Of her signing, Spirit head coach Mark Parsons said, "Estefania is an exceptional talent and I do not think there is a player like her in the league. She is going to give the team a very different dynamic and provide us with real quality in the final third."[9]

International

Banini has played for the Argentina women's national football team since 2010. In September 2014, she scored a penalty kick in a match against Brazil helping Argentina win 2-0 during the Copa America tournament.[10]

Honors and awards

Individual

Team

References

  1. ↑ "Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini". Washington Spirit. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Colo Colo remece el fútbol femenino con fichaje de "la Messi" de la selección argentina Cooperativa.cl, 8 February 2011
  3. ↑ "Estefanía Banini, la ´Messi´ femenina, se luce humillando a brasileña". Grupo RPP. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Estefanía Banini, la "Messi" que bailó a las brasileñas". LG Deportiva. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "- Atualizado em 10/11/2014 14h24 "Marta da Argentina", Estefanía Banini ganha apelido de Messi após dancinha" (10 November 2014). Globoesporte. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Estefanía Banini: "El fútbol femenino necesita apoyo de AFA"". Mas Deportes. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "¡Colo-Colo Femenino Campeón otra vez!". Colo-Colo. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Estefanía Banini dejó Colo Colo Femenino". Mundo Colo Colo. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Spirit sign Argentine striker Estefania Banini". The Equalizer. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini". Washington Spirit. January 22, 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Colo-Colo Femenino parte a Brasil a defender la corona". Colo-Colo. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2015.

External links