“Maria Perez is a gamble. She is a very specific player and what we want from a pure midfielder. Although many people don’t understand it, she’s the closest thing to (Sergio) Busquets,” said Spain manager Jorge Vilda when he announced the final list of the 23 players who would go to the World Cup.
It was June 30 and Perez was at home with her brother. Like the rest of the players, she didn’t know whether she would be called up or not. So she kept an eye on the television to see if her name was on Vilda’s list.
“Midfielders: Maria Perez.”
Her name came up first. She and her brother started shouting. The phone rang. Her mother had also heard the list. As had many other relatives who would spend the day calling to congratulate her.
In discussing her selection, Vilda said “many people don’t understand” the Busquets comparison. The reason for that is because this past season she played for Barca B, in the second division. In fact, it was only at the beginning of June that she was given her first contract with the first team, having played only five games for them last season. Perez has gone in the same season from playing in the second division in a reserve team to making her Spanish national team debut at the Women’s World Cup.
That debut will live long in the…
