| Candela Andújar | |
| Fullname: | Candela Andújar Jiménez |
| Birth Date: | 2000 3, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Barberà del Vallès, Spain |
| Height: | 1.60 m |
| Position: | Winger, forward |
| Youthyears1: | 2007–2011 |
| Youthclubs1: | Barberà Andalucía |
| Youthyears2: | 2011–2012 |
| Youthclubs2: | Sant Gabriel |
| Youthyears3: | 2012–2016 |
| Youthclubs3: | Barcelona |
| Years1: | 2016–2019 |
| Clubs1: | Barcelona B |
| Years2: | 2017–2022 |
| Clubs2: | Barcelona |
| Caps2: | 34 |
| Goals2: | 2 |
| Years3: | 2020–2022 |
| Clubs3: | → Valencia (loan) |
| Caps3: | 36 |
| Goals3: | 9 |
| Years4: | 2023–2024 |
| Clubs4: | Sporting San José |
| Caps4: | 14 |
| Goals4: | 8 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2015–2017 |
| Nationalteam1: | Spain U17 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 16 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 2 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2017 |
| Nationalteam2: | Spain U19 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 11 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 1 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2018 |
| Nationalteam3: | Spain U20 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 1 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2021–2022 |
| Nationalteam4: | Spain U23 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 2 |
| Nationalyears5: | 2021 |
| Nationalteam5: | Spain |
| Nationalcaps5: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals5: | 0 |
| Pcupdate: | 12:32, 16 November 2023 (UTC) |
| Ntupdate: | 04:32, 22 December 2023 (UTC) |
Candela Andújar Jiménez (pronounced as /es/; born 26 March 2000) is a Spanish professional footballer who last played as a forward for Costa Rican Women's Premier Division club Sporting San José. She represented Spain at several youth and senior levels.[1]
Born in Barberà del Vallès, Barcelona, Andújar began her career at the age of 7 as a goalkeeper in Barberá Andalucia, playing with boys. After 4 years she joined Sant Gabriel and spent a season there, this time in the midfielder position and only alongside young girls. She started her career at Barcelona at the start of 2012–13 season, after she was discovered by the club's scouts for her performances in Catalonia's u-12 national team. In Barça she was employed more as a winger and a forward player.[2] [3] She played her first official match for the senior team on 6 December 2017 against Sevilla at the age of 17, after her consistent form in Barça B, where she had scored 11 goals in 12 matches, throughout the mid season.[4]
In June 2020, Andújar signed a contract extension to continue with Barcelona until 2022.[5]
On 29 July 2021, Andújar joined Valencia on a one-year loan deal.[6]
On 18 June 2022, she announced her retirement from football at the age of 22 via an Instagram post.
Andújar was first invited to play for national u-16 team in February 2015, in a development tournament.[7] She was a member of Spanish u-17 squads that achieved runner-up places of UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship in 2016 and 2017.[8] [9] Each time she earned a place on the team of the tournament.[10] [11]
Andújar was also one of the key players of u-17 national team in the 2016 U-17 Women's World Cup.[12] At the end of the tournament she was one of the 10 candidates for the Golden Ball,[13] which she lost to Fuka Nagano.[14]