as interview with mery ruiz
Writing up the notes for the Zaida story right now. (Thank you so much to everyone who's commented, I hardly even know how to respond. I just, I really appreciate it.) I did most of the initial research last winter/spring and I wanted to share some of the things I came across in the process. This is an interview from AS, via the fantastic website futfem.com, with Maria (Mery) Ruiz, the first (female) Spanish player to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions' League. The last few lines are pretty heartbreaking, especially for Madridistas.
Original Spanish here. Translation by yours truly, all corrections welcomed.
Her story bears a certainly similarity to that of Raul. Maria Ruiz, known to most as Mery, is a Madrileña by birth (06/13/1983), a Madridista by heart, and a striker by position. Last season she made the decision to leave Espanyol, just proclaimed champions of the Copa de la Reina, to play for Zvezda 2005 in the Russian league.
Mery's intention was to play, for the first time, in the women's Champions League: "Raul is a legend and has played many Champions' League matches, but I understand, apart from wanting to break records, feeling the need to keep playing anyway. I accepted the move to Zvezda 2005 because ever since I was very little I've wanted to play in the Champions. I saw the guys and felt envious. And it's a special competition. I get emotional just hearing the music. It was an experience I wanted to have myself and I'm enjoying it to the utmost."
In addition, Mery has already made history, by becoming the first Spanish woman to reach the quarterfinals of the competition, where she scored two goals. The rival to beat is Olympique Lyon (March 17th & 23rd): "They're the games of my life, though I'm aware that they'll be very complicated since [Lyon] are the current runners-up."
Mery realizes that she's an adventurer. She left Madrid at age 20 to sign for Estudiantes de Huelva. In the US she played at Indiana and for Buffalo Flash, in the second league, before returning to Spain, to Espanyol. But she acknowledges that her greatest dream is to play for Real Madrid: "I've been a Madridista since I was little and I feel a special sadness knowing that it will never be possible for me to play for my team. If Zidane had a daughter who played football, would she go to Atlético? I don't think it's too much to ask."
Original Spanish here. Translation by yours truly, all corrections welcomed.
Her story bears a certainly similarity to that of Raul. Maria Ruiz, known to most as Mery, is a Madrileña by birth (06/13/1983), a Madridista by heart, and a striker by position. Last season she made the decision to leave Espanyol, just proclaimed champions of the Copa de la Reina, to play for Zvezda 2005 in the Russian league.
Mery's intention was to play, for the first time, in the women's Champions League: "Raul is a legend and has played many Champions' League matches, but I understand, apart from wanting to break records, feeling the need to keep playing anyway. I accepted the move to Zvezda 2005 because ever since I was very little I've wanted to play in the Champions. I saw the guys and felt envious. And it's a special competition. I get emotional just hearing the music. It was an experience I wanted to have myself and I'm enjoying it to the utmost."
In addition, Mery has already made history, by becoming the first Spanish woman to reach the quarterfinals of the competition, where she scored two goals. The rival to beat is Olympique Lyon (March 17th & 23rd): "They're the games of my life, though I'm aware that they'll be very complicated since [Lyon] are the current runners-up."
Mery realizes that she's an adventurer. She left Madrid at age 20 to sign for Estudiantes de Huelva. In the US she played at Indiana and for Buffalo Flash, in the second league, before returning to Spain, to Espanyol. But she acknowledges that her greatest dream is to play for Real Madrid: "I've been a Madridista since I was little and I feel a special sadness knowing that it will never be possible for me to play for my team. If Zidane had a daughter who played football, would she go to Atlético? I don't think it's too much to ask."