It has been an incredible journey to get to this point and take part in Rugby World Cp 2025. Nearly two years ago we played against Ireland in the WXV3 final, a game which was an achievement for us just to get to. To get to that match, and the way we eventually played the game, we had shown growth and become a mature team that proved able to fight out with the best.
We always felt in control of that final, but in the blink of an eye we lost by just two points. I cannot put into words how much it hurt, but it was also a turning point for me. Up to that moment, I had never really felt like I belonged in the national team. I knew I had got there, but I still didn't want to call myself a Leona because I still felt there was something missing.
I remember going back home after losing to Ireland and feeling so hopeless about how we missed out, especially because I felt like we were playing in our prime in that moment. But when I look back I also remember being able to look at myself in the mirror and said 'you belong here, you do good things for the team'.
I believe that the team helps me grow every day. My motivation comes from them because the things I do, I do it for them. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to exhaust myself to the extent that I do.
I decided to get a tattoo that says 'trust'. It was to remind me to the importance of working every day, and how important it is to feel like you belong. I got the tattoo to remind myself that I had to trust in myself, trust in my team, and trust in the fact that Spain belongs on the top stage of world rugby.
The next year we were back in the WXV3 final, and this time we were able to beat Fiji and book our place at this Rugby World Cup. I was once again overwhelmed by the emotions, but this time because my dreams had finally came true, and I knew exactly how much effort I had put in to get there. I thought of the ten-year-old me who dreamed of these things. I did it for her.
Since then we have all been working hard to prepare as best we can for the upcoming tournament, and we've had some inspiration along the way. Before our recent trip to Japan we spent the day with players from the Spain team that played at Rugby World Cup 1991, the first ever women's Rugby World Cup.
They came to watch us train and we spoke to them for hours afterwards. We felt so connected to their story and we felt so honoured to have such strong and empowered women in our history. Some of us didn't even know them but they showed us all their pictures and told us all about it. We felt connected, and at the same time something grew in us, a feeling that we're not alone in this. We have a lot of women who fought for us in the past and now we are the women who have to do the same for future generations.
Having them hand us our jerseys was such an empowering, beautiful and significant moment in our lives. It reminded us that Spanish rugby has been in this arena for so long, and now we have to step in and show what we are capable of. Not just for us, but for the women before us who believed that women's rugby belongs in Spain.
I also want to be that person who inspires the next generation. All children have to dream big. I dreamed big all of my life. I didn't even know we had a national team because in those days these things weren't on tv. But I believed I wanted to do something with rugby. Every day I'm involved in rugby, every day I train, it makes my day better. It's this passion for rugby and my team mates that has driven me to this position of being at a World Cup.
To all those young players: be passionate about everything you do, and dream big. Don't think that because you're a little girl from a small club you can't be here. You can, and indeed you will if you do the work.
One day you will get your jersey. You will look at that jersey and know what it took to earn it, and you will look in the mirror and tell yourself that you belong.
