Who is the number 9 of Argentina Women’s Football Team?

Maria Belen Bortaza

Focus: Maria Belén Bortaza For anyone who plays football, whether in the backyard or on the street , or on the court, scoring crucial goals against powerful opponents is their dream.

Maria Belen Potassa is one person who is fortunate enough to realize this dream. On November 26, 2006, at the age of 17, she scored the second goal of her team. The goal helped Argentina, playing at home, defeat Brazil on the last day of South American qualifying. This game was not only the first time that the Argentine women's football team defeated Brazil, but also secured their ticket to the FIFA 2007 China Women's World Cup.

"I don’t know how to celebrate, what to do, where to run... I have dreamed of this since I was a little girl, and when it really happened, I was so surprised. I don't know how to react," Botaza told FIFA.com in an exclusive interview. "That scene has played out in my mind a thousand times, but I am still very excited every time I score." said the active goalscorer, whose goal against Brazil was her fourth of the tournament.

Just a few months before that memorable tournament, in August 2006 to be precise, Botaza traveled to Russia to proudly represent Argentina in the FIFA Women's Under-20 Championship. Although the young Argentinian did not qualify from the group, Botaza once again underlined his potential with a consolation goal against the United States. As early as January 2006, the young forward had already shown a hint of killer qualities, scoring five goals in the South American qualifiers for the Under-20 Women's World Youth Championship.

What makes this slightly thin striker one of the players worth paying attention to at the 2007 China Women's World Cup? "If there is anything special about me, it is my ability to score goals." said the shooter, who is 168 centimeters tall and weighs 57 kilograms. Carlos Borello, who has coached Botaza at both youth and senior levels, clearly has a say in what makes Botaza special. "She is fast, has a strong shooting ability, and she can always appear there one second before her opponent, just like the goal she scored in Brazil." He said, "She saw the defender coming from the right side, and then , despite starting from behind the defender marking her, she still reacted first and poked the ball with her toe to seal the victory. She is a forward who is very good at seizing opportunities and her future is bright. "

Talk about it

Maria Belén Botaza was born on December 12, 1988 in Canada Luskin, a small town with a population of about 5,000 people, not far from the capital of Santa Fe Province. Santa Fe is 138 kilometers away. For Botaza, who was already well-known after the 2006 World Youth Championship in Russia, her goal against Brazil made her even more widely known.

"To say I'm famous is an exaggeration. It's fun to be recognized on the street, but it only happens in my hometown or the surrounding area. But if I score a goal in the World Cup, who You know what will happen." She said with a sly smile.

Bottasa claims to be an admirer of Juan Roman Riquelme, Carlos Tevez and Rodrigo Palacio, and she herself may soon wear On the Boca Juniors jersey: "Yes, they are both superstars at Boca (Juniors) and I might continue my career there this year, San Lorenzo being another possible option... ....We are all choosing," explained Botaza, who has been without a club since leaving Rosario Central.

No matter where she goes, leaving her hometown of Kannada Loskin is sad. "I have been living here since I was born. This is where I first started playing football. I also used to be the mascot of my brother's team, Kannada Youth United, and that was also the beginning of my exposure to football. "I was only four years old," recalls Botaza, who almost chose volleyball as her sport.

You may wonder, how could such a thing happen? Listen to her own explanation: "I started playing football with the boys at the local club when I was 8, but when I turned 12 they stopped letting me play. So we formed Neighbors The women's soccer team played locally (against other teams)," she recalls, although that start was destined to be short-lived. "The team folded after three years and I started playing volleyball. I was more attracted to football, so my mother took me to Rosario Central Club where I had a test in November 2004 and stayed.

The opportunity to represent Argentina for the first time came quickly. "In December (2004) I participated in a tournament in the city of Córdoba, where I attracted the attention of the national team coaching staff Adrian Stumbo and Kawa Kami Attention. Then they invited me to participate in a series of training sessions. On February 1, 2005, I was lucky enough to become a member of the national team. Attention outside of Argentina. "A Spanish club contacted me. Of course, privately I have also considered the possibility of playing abroad, but I am still willing to stay in Argentina this year, especially in Buenos Aires." The new star said, "I I really hope to prepare for the World Cup with all my strength. "

This kind of focus on the task at hand is no surprise to head coach Borreiro. "She loves training, and if for some reason she can't participate in training, she will be in a bad mood." He said that Borrero coached the Argentina team at the 2006 World Youth Championship in Russia. "But she is the funniest on the team. One of the girls: She is a natural joker, and she always takes the lead in singing during our training sessions or away games. "

She may be a little careless outside the stadium, but when it comes to the 2007 World Cup in China, Botaza was very serious. "Our goal is to get through the first group stage and see what happens," she told FIFA.com. "I don't know who will be in our group yet, but we are a team with a lot of character. I wouldn't be surprised if we can enter the top 8," she said confidently.

As the interview comes to an end, Maria Belén reveals that she plans to study to become a physical education teacher and that she dreams of a career in this beautiful sport: "I love it. The first thing is, just Like I said before, I hope to participate in the World Cup with the national team and do my part, and after that, I hope to continue to improve and play in Europe. "We will see...