Estefanía Banini Explained

Estefanía Banini
Fullname:Estefanía Romina Banini Ruiz[1]
Birth Date:1990 6, df=y
Birth Place:Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
Height:1.62m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Levante Badalona
Years1:2011–2014
Clubs1:Colo-Colo
Years2:2015–2016
Clubs2:Washington Spirit
Caps2:19
Goals2:5
Years3:2016–2017
Clubs3:Valencia
Caps3:21
Goals3:4
Years4:2017–2019
Clubs4:Washington Spirit
Caps4:21
Goals4:2
Years5:2018–2019
Clubs5:Levante (loan)
Caps5:19
Goals5:4
Years6:2019–2021
Clubs6:Levante
Caps6:43
Goals6:4
Years7:2021–2024
Clubs7:Atlético Madrid
Caps7:33
Goals7:5
Years8:2024–
Clubs8:Levante Badalona
Caps8:0
Goals8:0
Nationalyears1:2010–2023
Nationalteam1:Argentina
Nationalcaps1:53
Nationalgoals1:13
Pcupdate:15:54, 30 November 2021 (UTC)

Estefanía Romina Banini Ruiz (born 21 June 1990) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga F club Levante Badalona. She capped for the Argentina women's national team.

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.[2] [3] Banini was previously a member of the Argentine women's national team, captaining the team in their second ever World Cup campaign in 2019.[4] She is often referred to as the female equivalent of male football star Lionel Messi and the Marta of Argentina.[5] [6] [7] [8]

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.[9] [10]

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."[11] 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.[12]

Valencia (2016–2017)

In October 2016 Banini transferred to Spain's Primera División club Valencia CF Femenino.[13]

Washington Spirit (2017–2019)

Banini re-signed with the Washington Spirit on 19 June 2017. 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.[14]

On 4 December 2018 Banini re-signed with the Spirit for the 2019 NWSL season.[15]

Loan to Levante

On 17 October 2018 Banini joined Levante in the Spanish Primera División.[16]

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.[17] In her time at the club, she helped the team qualify for their first ever UEFA Women's Champions League tournament.[18] 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.[19]

Atlético Madrid (2021–2024)

On 3 July 2021, Banini's transfer from Levante to Atlético Madrid was made official.[20]

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

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.[23] 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.[24] 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.[25] [26]

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 loss to Sweden.[27]

International goals

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
4 November 2010 3–02010 South American Women's Football Championship
10 March 2014 2014 South American Games
16 March 2014
20 September 2014 Estadio Jorge Andrade, Azogues, Ecuador 2014 Copa América Femenina
28 September 2014 Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador
5 April 2018 Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo, Chile 2018 Copa América Femenina
9 April 2018
13 April 2018
15 July 2022 2022 Copa América Femenina
9 October 2022 Friendly
9 April 2023
14 July 2023 Estadio Único de San Nicolás, San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina

Honours

Colo-Colo
Atlético Madrid
Argentina

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 – List of Players: Argentina . . 1 . PDF . 27 May 2019 . 27 May 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190527124414/https://tournament.fifadata.com/documents/FWWC/2019/pdf/FWWC_2019_SQUADLISTS.PDF . 27 May 2019.
  2. News: Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini. 22 January 2015. Washington Spirit. 22 January 2015.
  3. News: Washington Spirit sign Argentine international forward Estefanía Banini. Excelle Sports. www.excellesports.com. Kayla. Lombardo. 19 June 2017. 19 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171005232037/http://www.excellesports.com/news/washington-spirit-estefania-banini/. 5 October 2017. dead.
  4. http://www.cooperativa.cl/colo-colo-remece-el-futbol-femenino-con-fichaje-de-la-messi-de-la-seleccion-argentina/prontus_nots/2011-02-08/112440.html Colo Colo remece el fútbol femenino con fichaje de "la Messi" de la selección argentina
  5. Web site: Estefanía Banini, la ´Messi´ femenina, se luce humillando a brasileña. Grupo RPP. 23 January 2015. 22 September 2014.
  6. Web site: Estefanía Banini, la "Messi" que bailó a las brasileñas. LG Deportiva. 23 January 2015. 22 September 2014.
  7. Web site: - Atualizado em 10/11/2014 14h24 "Marta da Argentina", Estefanía Banini ganha apelido de Messi após dancinha. Globoesporte. 23 January 2015. 10 November 2014.
  8. Web site: Estefanía Banini: "El fútbol femenino necesita apoyo de AFA". Mas Deportes. 23 January 2015. 15 October 2014.
  9. Web site: ¡Colo-Colo Femenino Campeón otra vez!. Colo-Colo. 23 January 2015. 7 December 2014.
  10. Web site: Estefanía Banini dejó Colo Colo Femenino. Mundo Colo Colo. 23 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150123191033/http://www.mundocolocolo.cl/2015/01/estefania-banini-dejo-colo-colo-femenino.html. 2015-01-23. dead.
  11. Web site: Spirit sign Argentine striker Estefania Banini. The Equalizer. 23 January 2015. 22 January 2015.
  12. Web site: Estefanía Banini " Washington Spirit.
  13. News: Baidal. Analía Cuccia. Estefanía Banini: "En Valencia también quiero tener mi experiencia e intentar llegar lejos". 1 November 2016. Los Andes. 18 October 2016. es.
  14. Web site: E.BANINI. 5 December 2018.
  15. Web site: Washington Spirit re-signs forward Estefanía Banini. 5 December 2018. 4 December 2018.
  16. Web site: El Levante ficha a la internacional argentina Estefanía Banini. 5 December 2018. 17 October 2018.
  17. Web site: Banini continuará defendiendo el escudo del Levante UD . levanteud.com . . 27 June 2019 . 13 July 2021.
  18. Web site: Estefanía Banini y la lucha por dignificar el futbol femenil en Argentina . futboltotal.com . Fútbol Total . 20 June 2021 . 13 July 2021.
  19. Web site: Oshoala's Barcelona complete treble with Copa de la Reina win . Shina . Oludare . goal.com . . 30 May 2021 . 13 July 2021.
  20. Web site: El Atlético Femenino sigue reforzándose . mundodeportivo.com . . 3 July 2021 . 13 July 2021.
  21. Web site: Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini. Washington Spirit. 23 January 2015. 22 January 2015.
  22. Web site: Copa América Femenina - Ecuador 2014. Goleadoras. conmebol.com.
  23. Web site: How Estefania Banini's creativity stymied Japan in Argentina's first-ever World Cup point . sbnation.com . . Zito . Madu . 10 June 2021 . 13 July 2021.
  24. Web site: Estefanía Banini: "Tenemos que cambiar muchas cosas para llevar la bandera argentina a lo más alto" . 750.am . . 7 February 2021 . 13 July 2021.
  25. Web site: IFFHS WOMAN TEAM - CONMEBOL - OF THE DECADE 2011-2020 . . 26 January 2021 . 13 July 2021.
  26. Web site: Estefanía Banini, en el equipo ideal de Sudamérica de la década . . telam.com . 28 January 2021 . 13 July 2021.
  27. Web site: Estefanía Banini, la crack que luchó por Argentina, tuvo su despedida mundialista . ESPN.com.co . 3 August 2023 . es . 2 August 2023.
  28. Web site: Colo-Colo el Eterno Campeón . www.colocolo.cl . 3 August 2023 . es.
  29. Web site: COLO COLO REPRESENTARÁ A CHILE EN LA LIBERTADORES FEMENINA 2016 . ANFP . 3 August 2023 . es.
  30. Web site: IFFHS WOMAN TEAM - CONMEBOL - OF THE DECADE 2011-2020. IFFHS . 26 January 2021 .
  31. Web site: 2022-01-17. 2020-2021 Women's FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Revealded. 2022-01-19. FIFPRO. en.