Name Estefania Banini Playing position Role Football player | Years Team Height 1.62 m 2011–2014 Colo-Colo | |
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Full name Estefania Romina Banini Ruiz Date of birth (1990-06-21) 21 June 1990 (age 25) Current teams Washington Spirit (#26 / Forward), Argentina women\'s national football team (Forward) Similar People Yusmery Ascanio, Christiane Endler, Florencia Quinones, Cecilia Ghigo, Marianela Szymanowski | ||
Place of birth Mendoza, Argentina | ||
#FIFAWWC Player Promo | Estefania Banini | Argentina is ready!
Estefanía Romina Banini Ruíz (born 21 June 1990) is an Argentine football forward who plays for Valencia. She previously spent four seasons with Colo-Colo of the Chilean women's football championship and two seasons with American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Washington Spirit. Banini is a member of the Argentine women's national team. She is often referred to as the female equivalent of male football star Lionel Messi and the Marta of Argentina.
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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.
Washington Spirit
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." 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 mid way 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.
Valencia
In October 2016 Banini transferred to Spain's Primera División club Valencia Féminas CF.
International
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 America tournament.
Honors and awards
Individual
Team
