Xènia Pérez

Xènia Pérez
Pérez with Atlético Madrid in 2022
Personal information
Full name Xènia Pérez Almiñana[1]
Date of birth (2001-10-28) 28 October 2001[2]
Place of birth Sitges, Spain[2]
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back[3]
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Madrid
Number 5
Youth career
2014–2018 RCD Espanyol
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 RCD Espanyol 54 (5)
2022– Atlético Madrid 52 (2)
International career‡
2024 Spain U23 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 July 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 July 2025

Xènia Pérez Almiñana (born 28 October 2001) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Liga F club Atlético Madrid. She has previously played for RCD Espanyol.

Club career

RCD Espanyol

In 2014, Pérez joined the Espanyol youth program. She has played for the club's reserve team andmultiple Catalonian youth teams on her journey through Espanyol.[4][5] In 2018 and 2019, Pérez started to make forays into the Espanyol first team.[6] She eventually made her debut at age 18,[2] playing stoppage time minutes in a 4–0 loss to Barcelona on 14 December 2019.[2]

Pérez officially joined the senior team ahead of the 2020–21 season. She played regularly, making 23 league appearances. However, Espanyol was relegated as consequence for finishing in 16th place on the Primera División table.[7]

In her first season in the Spanish second division, Pérez took a starring role in Espnayol's squad. She was selected as a team captain and appeared in every league match of the season.[8] She also scored her first two professional goals in an October match against AEM, helping Espanyol execute a comeback and win the match, 3–2.[1] Ultimately, while the team came close to promotion, a convincing defeat against Levante Las Planas on the final day of the season prevented such result.[9]

Atlético Madrid

Ahead of the 2022–23 Liga F season, Pérez returned to the Spanish first division and signed a three-year contract with Atlético Madrid.[2][10] She made her club debut on 17 September 2022, coming in as a second-half substitute in a match against Sevilla FC.[11] In her first season with Atlético, Pérez played a total of 432 minutes and started only 5 matches.[12] She was also involved as the team won the Copa de la Reina final, beating Real Madrid on penalties.[13]

Her struggle for playing time continued into 2023, and she considered leaving the club during the summer in search of other opportunities. However, following the departure of Merel van Dongen, Pérez rose to a starting position in the squad.[12] She helped Atlético finish 3rd in the Liga F standings and secure a spot in the 2024–25 Champions League qualifying rounds.[3]

Pérez continued her positive momentum into the 2024–25 season, in which she was one of Atlético's leaders in minutes and captained the team on several occasions.[14] She also ended up renewing her contract for two more seasons in Madrid.[15] Atlético finished 3rd in the standings for the second straight campaign, giving them another chance in the Champions League.[16] Pérez also helped her team reach the Copa de la Reina final,[13] where they were beaten by Barcelona after Claudia Pina scored a brace.[17]

International career

Pérez received her first youth international call-up in February 2024, joining the Spanish under-23 squad after Lucía Pardo withdrew with an injury.[18] On 2 December 2024, she made her U-23 debut in a 3–2 victory over France.[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of 4 July 2025[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] Continental[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
RCD Espanyol 2019–20 Primera División 1 0 1 0 — 2 0
2020–21 23 0 — — 23 0
2021–22 Primera Federación 30 5 4 0 — 34 5
Total 54 5 5 0 0 0 59 5
Atlético Madrid 2022–23 Liga F 12 0 1 0 — 13 0
2023–24 21 2 1 0 — 22 2
2024–25 19 0 6 0 2 0 27 0
Total 52 2 8 0 2 0 62 2
Career total 106 7 13 0 2 0 120 7
  1. ^ Includes the Copa de la Reina and Supercopa de España
  2. ^ Inclues the UEFA Women's Champions League

Honours

Atlético Madrid

References

  1. ^ a b c d Xènia Pérez at Soccerway
  2. ^ a b c d e "Club Atlético de Madrid - Xènia Pérez refuerza la zaga rojiblanca". Club Atlético de Madrid (in European Spanish). 27 June 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  3. ^ a b Gil, Aimara G. (15 June 2024). "Ajibade mete al Atlético en Champions". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Les Seleccions Catalanes, a quarts per la porta gran". Federació Catalana De Futbol (in Spanish). 5 November 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Xènia Pérez, un nuevo talento en la lucha del Espanyol por el ascenso a Reto Iberdrola". RFEF (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  6. ^ "RCD Espanyol - Las últimas noticias del Club". RCD Espanyol. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  7. ^ Jiménez, Julia (11 May 2025). "La Champions ya es una realidad para el Atlético". MARCA (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  8. ^ "«Nuestras capitanas»". RCD Espanyol. 4 July 2025.
  9. ^ "3-0: El Levante Las Planas golea al Espanyol y sube a la Primera Iberdrola". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  10. ^ "La defensa Xènia Pérez, tercer refuerzo del Atlético para la próxima temporada". Europa Press. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Club Atlético de Madrid - Siete jugadoras debutaron como atléticas". Club Atlético de Madrid (in European Spanish). 17 September 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  12. ^ a b Griñán, Marta (1 June 2024). "Xènia Pérez, de apenas contar a ser la revelación del Atlético". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  13. ^ a b Tikas, Maria (6 June 2025). "Xènia Pérez: "Contra el Barça solo vale hacer una final perfecta"". Diario Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  14. ^ Griñán, Marta (6 May 2025). "El Atlético ata a Xènia". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Club Atlético de Madrid - Xènia renueva hasta 2027". Club Atlético de Madrid (in European Spanish). 20 May 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  16. ^ Jiménez, Julia (11 May 2025). "La Champions ya es una realidad para el Atlético". MARCA (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  17. ^ Campos, Patri (5 June 2025). "Vuelve a ver la final de la Copa de la Reina 2025 entre Barcelona y Atlético de Madrid en RTVE Play". RTVE.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Cambios en la convocatoria de Laura del Río para los amistosos ante Inglaterra y Noruega". RFEF (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Un gol en el último suspiro da la victoria a España (3-2)". RFEF (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Atlético Madrid 2-2 Real Madrid (May 27, 2023) Game Analysis". ESPN. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
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