Estefanía Banini

Estefanía Romina Banini Ruiz (born 21 June 1990) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish Primera División club Atlético Madrid. She capped for the Argentina women's national team.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Banini and the second or maternal family name is Ruiz.
Estefanía Banini
Personal information
Full name Estefanía Romina Banini Ruiz[1]
Date of birth (1990-06-21) 21 June 1990
Place of birth Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
Height 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Madrid
Number 22
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Colo-Colo
2015–2016 Washington Spirit 19 (5)
2016–2017 Valencia 21 (4)
2017–2019 Washington Spirit 21 (2)
2018–2019 → Levante (loan) 19 (4)
2019–2021 Levante 43 (4)
2021– Atlético Madrid 33 (5)
International career
2010–2023 Argentina 53[2] (13)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Argentina
South American Games
Gold medal – first place2014 SantiagoTeam
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:54, 30 November 2021 (UTC)

Banini has previously spent four seasons with Colo-Colo of the Chilean women's football championship, two seasons with the Spirit, and a season with Valencia.[3][4] Banini was previously a member of the Argentine women's national team, captaining the team in their second ever World Cup campaign in 2019.[5] She is often referred to as the female equivalent of male football star Lionel Messi and the Marta of Argentina.[6][7][8][9]

Club career

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.[10][11]

Washington Spirit (2015–2016)

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."[12] She played and started in the first four games of the 2015 season before sustaining an injury which sidelined her for the rest of the year. Banini came back strong midway through the 2016 season, scoring five goals in a seven-game period before sustaining another injury. The Argentine was awarded the Spirit 2016 Golden Boot award, NWSL Goal of the Week for Week 13, NWSL Player of the Week for Week 13, and NWSL Player of the Month for July.[13]

Valencia (2016–2017)

In October 2016 Banini transferred to Spain's Primera División club Valencia CF Femenino.[14]

Washington Spirit (2017–present)

Banini re-signed with the Washington Spirit on 19 June 2017.[4] she appeared in 9 games in 2017, and scored 1 goal. In 2018 Banini only appeared in 12 games for the Spirit as she missed time due to the 2018 Copa América and missed the last seven games of the season due to a knee injury.[15]

On 4 December 2018 Banini re-signed with the Spirit for the 2019 NWSL season.[16]

Loan to Levante

On 17 October 2018 Banini joined Levante in the Spanish Primera División.[17]

Levante (2019-2021)

Although intended to play through the 2019 NWSL season, Banini signed a full contract with Levante in June 2019 that would last for two years.[18] In her time at the club, she helped the team qualify for their first ever UEFA Women's Champions League tournament.[19] In the 2021 Copa de la Reina final, she scored Levante's second goal against FC Barcelona Femení, but the match ended 4-2 in favor of Barcelona.[20]

Atlético Madrid (2021–present)

On 3 July 2021, Banini's transfer from Levante to Atlético Madrid was made official.[21]

International career

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 América Femenina tournament.[22] Banini scored three goals at the 2018 Copa América Femenina.[23]

Banini was called up to participate in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup with Argentina. In the tournament, she helped Argentina win their first ever World Cup point, earning a 0–0 draw against Japan.[24] Following Argentina's exit in the group stage, Banini spoke out against national team coach Carlos Borrello for his outdated coaching methods and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) for poor working conditions.[19][25] Banini was not called up to the national team for nearly three years following her statements.

At the end of 2020, Banini was named to the IFFHS' CONMEBOL Women's Team of the 2011-2020 Decade, the only Argentine on the list.[26][27]

Banini made her international return for Argentina on 8 April 2022, starting in a 0–1 friendly home loss to Chile and plaeyd the entire match. At the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Banini played her last international match, a 0–2 lost to Sweden.[2]

International goals

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1
4 November 2010Estadio La Cocha, Latacunga, Ecuador Bolivia3–0
3–0
2010 South American Women's Football Championship
2
10 March 2014Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida, Santiago, Chile Bolivia
3–0
4–0
2014 South American Games
3
16 March 2014 Chile
1–0
2–1
4
20 September 2014Estadio Jorge Andrade, Azogues, Ecuador Brazil
2–0
2–0
2014 Copa América Femenina
5
28 September 2014Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador Ecuador
1–0
2–3
6
5 April 2018Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo, Chile Brazil
1–1
1–3
2018 Copa América Femenina
7
9 April 2018 Ecuador
1–0
6–3
8
13 April 2018 Venezuela
2–0
2–0
9
15 July 2022Estadio Centenario, Armenia, Colombia Uruguay
1–0
5–0
2022 Copa América Femenina
10
9 October 2022Estadio Municipal de Chapín, Jerez, Spain Poland
1–0
2–2
Friendly
11
9 April 2023Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba, Argentina Venezuela
3–0
3–0
12
14 July 2023Estadio Único de San Nicolás, San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina Peru
2–0
4–0

Honours
Colo-Colo
Atlético Madrid
Argentina

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 – List of Players: Argentina" (PDF). FIFA. 27 May 2019. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  2. "Estefanía Banini, la crack que luchó por Argentina, tuvo su despedida mundialista". ESPN.com.co (in Spanish). 2 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  3. "Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini". Washington Spirit. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  4. Lombardo, Kayla (19 June 2017). "Washington Spirit sign Argentine international forward Estefanía Banini". www.excellesports.com. Excelle Sports. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  5. Colo Colo remece el fútbol femenino con fichaje de "la Messi" de la selección argentina Cooperativa.cl, 8 February 2011
  6. "Estefanía Banini, la ´Messi´ femenina, se luce humillando a brasileña". Grupo RPP. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  7. "Estefanía Banini, la "Messi" que bailó a las brasileñas". LG Deportiva. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  8. "- 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.
  9. "Estefanía Banini: "El fútbol femenino necesita apoyo de AFA"". Mas Deportes. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  10. "¡Colo-Colo Femenino Campeón otra vez!". Colo-Colo. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  11. "Estefanía Banini dejó Colo Colo Femenino". Mundo Colo Colo. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  12. "Spirit sign Argentine striker Estefania Banini". The Equalizer. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  13. "Estefanía Banini " Washington Spirit".
  14. Baidal, Analía Cuccia (18 October 2016). "Estefanía Banini: "En Valencia también quiero tener mi experiencia e intentar llegar lejos"" (in Spanish). Los Andes. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  15. "E.BANINI". Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  16. "Washington Spirit re-signs forward Estefanía Banini". 4 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  17. "El Levante ficha a la internacional argentina Estefanía Banini". 17 October 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  18. "Banini continuará defendiendo el escudo del Levante UD". levanteud.com. Levante UD. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  19. "Estefanía Banini y la lucha por dignificar el futbol femenil en Argentina". futboltotal.com. Fútbol Total. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  20. Oludare, Shina (30 May 2021). "Oshoala's Barcelona complete treble with Copa de la Reina win". goal.com. Goal. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  21. "El Atlético Femenino sigue reforzándose". mundodeportivo.com. Mundo Deportivo. 3 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  22. "Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini". Washington Spirit. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  23. "Copa América Femenina - Ecuador 2014. Goleadoras". conmebol.com.
  24. Madu, Zito (10 June 2021). "How Estefania Banini's creativity stymied Japan in Argentina's first-ever World Cup point". sbnation.com. SB Nation. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  25. "Estefanía Banini: "Tenemos que cambiar muchas cosas para llevar la bandera argentina a lo más alto"". 750.am. Radio AM 750. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  26. "IFFHS WOMAN TEAM - CONMEBOL - OF THE DECADE 2011-2020". International Federation of Football History & Statistics. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  27. "Estefanía Banini, en el equipo ideal de Sudamérica de la década". telam.com. Télam. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  28. "Colo-Colo el Eterno Campeón". www.colocolo.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  29. "COLO COLO REPRESENTARÁ A CHILE EN LA LIBERTADORES FEMENINA 2016". ANFP (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  30. "IFFHS WOMAN TEAM - CONMEBOL - OF THE DECADE 2011-2020". IFFHS. 26 January 2021.
  31. "2020-2021 Women's FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Revealded". FIFPRO. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
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