The making of Spain and Arsenal’s humble magician

“I don’t remember my life without football.”

For as long as Mariona Caldentey can remember, she had dreams of playing on the biggest stages and winning the biggest prizes.

She became a world champion with Spain in 2023 and has won four Champions League titles with Barcelona and Arsenal.

Now the 29-year-old midfielder is one of the nominees for the Ballon d’Or after a dream debut season in the Women’s Super League.

Caldentey grew up in the small town of Felanitx, on the island of Mallorca.

She was close to her older brother and her cousins and they played football together at her grandmother’s house as a child.

At the age of four, Caldentey joined the local football team – an after-school futsal club in Manacor.

She was the only girl on the team but enjoyed huge success, winning multiple titles, including the Spanish Futsal Championships.

“Football was always around me because of my family,” Caldentey told BBC Sport.

“My older brother played, my dad was a coach – he was the president of a club [CE Felanitx] and played before that – and my grandfather and cousins played as well.

“I grew up in that environment and nobody told me it was just for men. I always felt supported. I was lucky.

“[Futsal was] how I started. That’s quite typical in Spain when you are a kid. I started to combine 11-a-side with five-a-side because I loved it so much. I did both for years.”

When Caldentey’s talents became clear at the age of 14, she joined a professional women’s team – El Collerense – who played in the Spanish first division.

In her second training session, she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and almost considered quitting – a moment she often looks back on now.

But a year later, she made her debut in the Copa de la Reina and soon caught the eye of Spain’s most prestigious clubs.

Like many in Spain, she shared a deep love for Barcelona but they did not develop a professional women’s section until 2015.

It meant she missed out on an education at La Masia – Barcelona’s youth academy – but Barcelona was in her blood and after graduating from university with a masters degree in injury rehabilitation, she joined the club in the summer of 2014.

“When I was playing in my town it was easy but when I got older my parents had to drive me one hour from home,” said Caldentey.

“Collerense were my first women’s team. I didn’t have the licence to drive and the club couldn’t offer me a driver, so my family had to support me with training.

Caldentey’s bond with her family and home town remains strong.

Felanitx town hall has a plaque in honour of Caldentey and the local futsal pitch is named after her – the Camp de Futbol Es Torrento Mariona Caldentey Oliver.

But the family suffered grief when Caldentey lost her father Miguel Angel suddenly in 2018, two days before she joined up with the Spanish national team, while her grandmother died last year following her move to Arsenal.

Her father’s death hit hard but she vowed to achieve success in his memory. She represented Spain days after his funeral and went on to win 14 major trophies with his beloved club Barcelona, where he was a season-ticket holder.

“It was sad for my dad because he was following and supporting me when we had no fans, in the rain, and in bad conditions,” said Caldentey.

“Now we have the best [facilities] around us, play in the big stadiums, have all the fans and he missed that. It’s a bit sad.

“He didn’t see me play in a Champions League final. The year we made the first final he passed away in November. He missed the successful part.

“My brother and my mum can still enjoy that journey with me. But lately, I think more about him.

“When I was playing as a forward he always told me, ‘You will end up playing more in midfield’. He was right! It’s kind of funny.”

Her grandmother taught her to play the piano when she was younger and Caldentey had a keyboard with her in Barcelona to continue practising.

She has let her musical talents slip but Caldentey intends to pick it up again now she has settled in at Arsenal.

“Sometimes [my grandma] played and I had to do the same as her. In the beginning, my grandma was sad because none of us were involved in music, we were more into sports.

Those close to Caldentey say she defines her winning mentality by “always wanting a little more”.

She put those words into action during her 10-year career at Barcelona, enjoying two Treble-winning seasons and clinching three Champions League titles.

In total, she scored 115 goals in 303 appearances.

In Spain, they compare her to Andres Iniesta – a legendary number eight for Barcelona. Caldentey now wears the same number for Arsenal.

“It’s a big honour. I grew up watching a lot of the Barca generation when it was Messi, Xavi, Iniesta. I loved that team,” said Caldentey.

“I watched them being really successful and playing the most beautiful football. I just love that kind of football.”

So instilled in the Barcelona way, few could have imagined that Caldentey would one day choose to leave her childhood club in search of a new challenge.

“In the beginning when I was thinking about leaving, I was kind of sharing a bit of everything, my thoughts and my process with my mum and my brother,” she added.

“But at one point I needed to stop doing that because it was a bit of a rollercoaster. One day you think one thing, then you change. At the end, it’s a personal decision.

“I stopped sharing and said, ‘I will tell you when I am clear because it’s my decision’.

“My mum wants to have me closer so coming to London is harder. She can’t speak English and she can’t fly alone because she is a bit scared.

It did not take long for Caldentey to settle in England – she was named the PFA Player of the Year and WSL Player of the Season.

She scored 19 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions and helped Arsenal win a first European title in 18 years.

England captain Leah Williamson described “watching her magic” and said she “loved being her team-mate” after building an instant bond.

Caldentey’s biggest challenge was learning English and though she was helped by Spanish team-mate Laia Codina, she also had language lessons via the club.

“Now I am more confident to speak. I hope I will get better but it’s amazing when you can learn another language and how another culture goes,” said Caldentey.

“It was a bit hard in the beginning – settling into a new house, to drive on the other side of the road, getting a a new car – and small things like a new phone number and the wi-fi! It looks like it’s easy to move but you always have something to do.

“It’s a bit stressful but I was lucky that [Codina] was already here so she helped me a lot. My life is different now to what it was in Barcelona but I am enjoying it.”

Caldentey watches football matches with English commentary to help her understand words her team-mates might use on the pitch.

But sometimes she needs a break from learning.

“If I watch a movie or a [TV] series then you know what, I deserve Spanish! It’s a bit tiring. I love thrillers and crime [dramas],” said Caldentey.

“In English, it’s hard for me to follow. Last year we went to the cinema to watch Mufasa. It’s a kids’ movie so that’s easy to understand. If it’s a thriller, I can’t make it yet!”

Caldentey is also teaching her team-mates some Spanish when she can.

“I said to the girls, ‘I will leave England some day and I don’t know how my English will be but I am sure all of you will know a bit of Spanish’.

Despite all of Caldentey’s success, she appears a little shy and very humble – she does not seek out the limelight.

In her own words, she is a “simple person” who just “loves to have fun”.

Arsenal manager Renee Slegers told BBC Sport: “She has a humbleness over her. That means for her it is just [about] hard work.

“She grew up playing for Barcelona and was part of their journey. She knows how hard it is to win stuff and that is what she brought to us.

“She does not take things for granted. They do not come easy. She understands that really well and it’s infectious.”

Former Spain coach Montse Tome said this year that Caldentey was “capable of speaking and being listened to” and her leadership qualities are growing.

Her status in world football has elevated and she is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or alongside some of her Spanish and Arsenal team-mates.

“I play football because I love to be in a team. It’s a team sport so I don’t put myself in that conversation. I just want to play football and have fun,” said Caldentey.

“I know when I enjoy it, it’s better for my football and then it’s better for the team. If the team is successful then it will be better.

“I am quite simple. I love [to] laugh, I love [to be] positive, I love to be around people and just have a nice time. I am calm in that sense.

“Sometimes I get a bit angry and annoyed on the pitch because I am competitive and want to win.