Vanina Correa and the beginning of a new illusion: “Qualification for the World Cup would be a push to continue growing the women’s team”

The Argentine women’s national team will begin a new adventure in search of achieving a great goal. The Copa América kicked off on Friday in Colombia (the locals beat Paraguay 4-2 and Ecuador beat Bolivia 6-1), and beyond the ever-present illusion of winning the tournament, the other important goal is to know that the top three tournament teams will qualify directly to World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023. The Argentine players are very clear about their goal: to get the direct pass to the most important event for the second consecutive time after participating in France 2019.

In the Argentine squad there is an excellent mix between experience and youth. Undoubtedly, if we are to talk about experience, Vanina Correa is a reference. The 38-year-old goalkeeper has a great career and a track record that gives her a scudetto to be placed at the historic table of the national team.

Correa’s journey

He made his Rosario Central debut at the age of 16, in 2000. He stayed there until 2003 and then stopped at Boca Juniors, until 2005. His next step would be at Banfield, where he was from 2005 to 2008, and then returned to Xeneize. His second cycle at the club would last a year. In 2009 he played for Club Renato Cesarini but announced his retirement from football after ending his contract.

After six years of absence from professional practice, in 2015 he wore the Canalla Diver again. In 2016 she takes her to the Lux Social Club, where she stays until 2018. In 2019 she starts her fourth step in the Gigante de Arroyito, but only for a year. San Lorenzo hired her for 2020 and in 2021 she had her first European experience at Espanyol de Barcelona where an injury prevented her from continuing. She decided to return to the Ciclón for 2021 and finally in early 2022 she set her fifth cycle of hers in Rosario Central.

He made his debut with the albiceleste shirt in 2003, and since then he has participated in all kinds of races and experiences. In his back Has three World Cups -2003, 2007 and 2019-the South American Games of 2003 and 2006 -in which she became champion-, three Pan American Games -2003, 2007 and 2019-, the Copa América 2018 and she played in the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

How do you approach a new tournament with the national team?

Santa Fe is aware that it is spending the last few cartridges of its career. “I take it calmly, as I always say, you have to enjoy the moments and places you have to be. Although this is my last Copa América, I experience it differently. Before, when I was younger, it was more difficult for me to see her this way. Now I enjoy everything: spaces, matches, training sessions and stadiums “expressed in a head to head with Clarin.

Argentina will be part of Group B and will share it with Brazil, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The group led by German Portanova will have his first against the Brazilians. The match will be played this Saturday at the Centenary Stadium, from 21:00 (by DirecTv, before, from 18:00, Uruguay will play against Venezuela).

“We have been working since June 1. All the games in the group are important, not just the one in Brazil. The only thing I can tell you is that being in our group, if it happens, we would not pass it in the semifinals. Maybe it favors us a little.”counted by making the draw of the debut and the group.

The squad’s formation has players with a great career in the national team and others who are making their first weapons. Las Correa (38 years old), Bon Segundo (28 years old), Bravo (30 years old) and Larroquette (29 years old) – among others-, should be the guide of promises like Pereyra (20 years old), Falfán (21 years old), Braun (22 years old).

“A good group has formed, both on and off the pitch. We are all coming together, both the biggest and the smallest. We work together and help each other, despite the age difference. Our goal is one and, day by day, we accompany each other “.

Faced with the possibility of playing the next World Cup, the current Rosario Central goalkeeper left a sea of ​​doubts and assured that today he is focused on Copa América. “We will see day by day, today I can tell you that I will end my contract with Rosario Central in December. My today is playing the Copa América, and next year we will see what happens”revealed.

The return of Banini

The return of Stefania Banini It was very positive news for Argentine football. After three years of absence from the national team, after the controversial statements against Carlos Borrello -ex coach of the national team-, the player chosen by FIFA for the best XI world in 2021 will review the action with the Argentina shirt.

“Estefanía worked to be in the national team, she earned it like all of us here. The idea is to work as a team for the goal that is the World Cup, and for this we have been preparing for some time. “commented Correa after the return of the current Atlético de Madrid player.

His vision of Argentine football

“Football stagnated a bit due to the pandemic, it was growing and it was a bit stagnant. But it’s always about working, looking for the growth that will take place in the next few years. Qualification for the World Cup would be a push and a push for the women’s team to continue growing in Argentina”, He assured.

Correa is clear that much remains to be done in women’s football in Argentina. The work to achieve professionalization according to what athletes deserve will be hard and will not happen overnight. However, he believes that with time and the help of the clubs the situation can improve and assimilate to that of the most advanced countries in this field. At the same time, he stresses the importance of participating in the World Cup to facilitate the growth of women and give them greater visibility. The goalkeeper is an authorized entry, from August 2021 She was appointed Vice President of the Argentine Sports Confederation.

It takes years of work to make it a professional football like that of other countries. The clubs are not prepared to have women’s categories, they do not have the space or the place, they do not have the economy to maintain it. This means that girls have to back down training and devote themselves to work. It’s a matter of time and help from the clubs to keep growing, “she added.

As for the future projection, she said the focus should be on girls taking their first steps in the sport and that the take-off, no doubt, will happen when all clubs have training categories and girls have more tools to get better preparation when it comes to reaching first.

“The basis is girls who start out as little girls. Up to 10 or 11 years we can talk about mixed football where the physical difference is not noticeable. Although today the youth categories are added and there are football schools, the growth will be when they have armed all the inferiors and arrive prepared for the first division “, he concluded.

football and motherhood

At the end of 2020, FIFA approved historic measures for female players. The provision established that maternity leave and paid rest period would be at least 14 weeks. Furthermore, after this regulation, clubs can incorporate a replacement player.

Vanina Correa was away from sports for six years, from 2009 to 2015. After her retirement, she was the mother of the twins Luna and Romeo. “When I retired it was being a mother or playing football”he said, alluding to what it was like to decide to be a mother before the FIFA ruling. “Then I wouldn’t have stopped playing, I still don’t deny it. I wanted to be with my children who were young”she added after being asked what she would have done if the measure had existed when she retired as a mother.

The idea of ​​continuing to be linked to sport

The conviction of the former San Lorenzo is clear: to continue in football. He hasn’t defined how yet, but he knows that when the time comes to end his career, he will want to continue living with his great passion about him.

“The idea is to continue to be linked to football. I don’t know how I will go on, whether as a coach, assistant or goalkeeper coach. I was about to start the technique course this year, but for training and work reasons I couldn’t. I’m sure I’ll start next year, “he confirmed.

Correa’s story is synonymous with sacrifice and effort, no one has given her anything and only she knows everything she had to do to make her dream come true. This Saturday a new chapter will begin and once again Vanina will be the protagonist. Together with her companions, she will try to continue writing the pages of the history of a book entitled Selezione Argentina.