Melissa Espina

Melissa Andrea Espina Esquivel (born 6 July 1994) is a Chilean football player who plays as a midfielder. She last played for Atlético San Luis in the Liga MX Femenil.

Melissa Espina
Personal information
Full name Melissa Andrea Espina Esquivel
Date of birth (1994-07-06) 6 July 1994
Place of birth Santiago, Chile
Height 1.54 m (5 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2020 Aztecas UDLAP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007 Unión San Felipe
0000–2010 Audax Italiano
2011–2012 Colo-Colo
2013–2014 Universidad de Chile
2020–2022 Palestino
2023 Atlético San Luis
International career
2009–2010 Chile U17
2012 Chile U20
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Santiago de Chile,[2] Espina began playing football alongside male players.[3]

At club level, she made her debut with Unión San Felipe at the age of thirteen.[4]

After, she played for Audax Italiano,[5] Colo-Colo[6] and Universidad de Chile.[7][8][9]

In 2015, she emigrated to Mexico and spent six years playing at university level for Aztecas UDLAP until 2020.[10][3]

Back in Chile, she joined Palestino.[10] In February 2022, she signed her first professional contract with them.[11] In the first half of the same year, she suffered a clavicle fracture, returning to play in the second half.[9]

In 2023, she joined the Mexican club Atlético San Luis, becoming the first Chilean player in the Liga MX Femenil.[9][10] She made his debut on 16 January in the 3–1 win against León[12] and left the club in the second half of the year.[13]

International career

In 2009, Espina represented Chile U17 in friendly matches previous to the 2010 South American Championship,[4] but she was crashed by a car while riding a bicycle, suffering a fracture in two lumbar vertebrae and not taking part in the final squad.[9] However, she took part in the FIFA World Cup.[5]

In 2012, she represented the under-20's.[4]

At senior level, she has taken part in training microcycles in 2021.[14][15]

Personal life

Espina attended the Universidad de las Américas Puebla and got a degree in business managing. She has worked as a business analyst in a Chilean medical technology company.[9]

References
  1. "Melissa Espina - Mediocampista Ofensivo". 365scores (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. Carrillo, Ruth (18 January 2023). "Refuerzos de lujo" (in Spanish). El Universal. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  3. Cervantes Saucedo, Sergio (5 May 2019). "Melissa Espina: Pausa y genialidad chilena". Poblanerias.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  4. Guerra, Felipe (6 July 2020). "Melissa Espina: La volante de La Roja en el Mundial Sub 17 de 2010". LaRoja.cl (in Spanish). FFCh. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  5. "Nóminas de Chile para Copas del Mundo Femeninas Sub-17". Partidos de La Roja (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  6. "Colo Colo es el monarca en el fútbol femenino sub 17". alairelibre.cl (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  7. "Golearon Universidad de Chile y Colo Colo". ANFP (in Spanish). 4 May 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  8. "Las Chunchitas se impusieron a Audax Italiano en el CDA". SoyAzul (in Spanish). 6 July 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  9. Silva, Felipe (27 January 2023). ""En Chile me tocó vivir lo que es entrenar sin luz; aquí puedo concentrarme en ser futbolista"". AS Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  10. Molina, Geraldine (31 December 2022). "Melissa Espina es la primera chilena en la Liga MX Femenil tras fichar con Atlético de San Luis". Contragolpe (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  11. "Cuatro jugadoras firmaron sus primeros contratos como profesionales en Palestino". alairelibre.cl (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  12. "México: Melissa Espina jugó su primer partido con el Atlético San Luis Femenil". GolMaster (in Spanish). 16 January 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  13. ""Estoy cansado de tu pinch* acento": ex jugadoras de San Luis revelan violencia que sufrieron". esto.com.mx (in Spanish). 25 August 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  14. @palestino (24 May 2020). "¡Felicidades chicas!👏🏼👏🏼" (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2021 – via Instagram.
  15. Benavides, Camilo (24 May 2021). "La Roja Femenina continúa con las prácticas de cara a Tokio". LaRoja.cl (in Spanish). FFCh. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
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