Lara Esponda
{{Short description|Argentine footballer (born 2005)}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lara Esponda
| image =
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|2005|11|5}}
| birth_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina
| height = 1.68m
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub = River Plate
| clubnumber = 1
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = River Plate
| years1 = 2020–
| clubs1 = River Plate
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| nationalyears1 = 2022
| nationalteam1 = Argentina U20
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| pcupdate =
| ntupdate = 14 July 2023
}}
Lara Esponda (born 5 November 2005) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for River Plate in Argentina's Women's Primera A.{{Cite web|url=https://onefootball.com/es/noticias/lara-esponda-representar-a-la-seleccion-argentina-es-un-orgullo-enorme-34667849|title=Lara Esponda: Representar a la Selección Argentina es un orgullo enorme|date= 17 July 2023|website=OneFootball| language = es}}{{Cite web|url=https://soydelmillo.com/river-en-la-liga/2021/08/16/estoy-feliz-por-las-oportunidades-que-nos-dan-lara-esponda-arquera-de-river-de-15-anos-elogio-el-trabajo-que-se-realiza-en-inferiores| work = soydelmillo.com|title=Estoy feliz por las oportunidades que nos dan»: Lara Esponda, arquera de River de 15 años, elogió el trabajo que se realiza en inferiores|first=Federico|last=Knudtsen|date= 16 August 2021| language = es}}
Early years and club career
Esponda began playing football with a youth team in Ituzaingó, Argentina. She started as a forward, but was asked to fill in for an absent goalkeeper, and has played that position since.{{Cite web |date=26 September 2022 |title=Lara Esponda: Representar a tu selección es uno de los logros más grandes que puede tener una jugadora |url=https://riverelmasgrande.com/2022/09/26/lara-esponda-representar-a-tu-seleccion-es-uno-de-los-logros-mas-grandes-que-puede-tener-una-jugadora |access-date=16 November 2022 |website=River, el más grande |language=es-AR}}
She started advanced training at the age of 9, and at 11 began training with the first team, joining River Plate's first team in the 2019–20 season. On 9 March 2020, at the age of 14, she made her debut, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to play in Women's Primera A, the top women's football league in Argentina.{{Cite web |title=River y una ráfaga de goles |url=http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/river-y-una-rafaga-de-goles |access-date=20 April 2021 |website=Club Atletico River Plate |language=es}} In 2018 she was champion of the Under-14 Development League with River Plate as the starting goalkeeper, beating the women's team of the Chubut Valley League 1–0.{{Cite web |title=River campeón de la Liga de Desarrollo Sub 14 – Liga Santafesina de Futbol |url=http://ligasantafesinadefutbol.com/web/river-campeon-de-la-liga-de-desarrollo-sub-14/ |access-date=16 May 2021 |language=es}} In January 2023 she signed her first professional contract.{{Cite web |title=Fútbol Femenino: refuerzos, renovaciones y nuevos contratos |url=https://lamaquinariver.com.ar/2023/01/11/futbol-femenino-refuerzos-renovaciones-y-nuevos-contratos/ |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=lamaquinariver.com.ar |language=es }}
International career
After playing on the national under-15 team,{{Cite web |title=Las juveniles se pusieron en marcha |url=https://www.afa.com.ar/Futbol/posts/las-juveniles-se-pusieron-en-marcha |access-date=16 November 2022 |website=Sitio Oficial de la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino |language=es-AR}} on 13 October 2020, she was called up to the Argentina national under-17 team.{{Cite web |title=Cinco millonarias convocadas a la Selección Sub-17 |url=http://www.costafebremonumental.com/noticia/313-cinco-millonarias-convocadas-a-la-seleccion-sub-17 |access-date=20 April 2021 |website=Tan Interactiva |publisher=costafebremonumental.com |language=es-AR}}
Esponda was called up to the Argentina national U-20 team in February 2022 to play in the 2022 South American Under-20 Women's Football Championship in Chile.{{cite web|url=https://www.afa.com.ar/es/posts/una-por-una-todas-las-futbolistas-que-jugaran-el-sudamericano|title=Una por una, todas las futbolistas que jugarán el Sudamericano|access-date=16 November 2022|work=Sitio Oficial de la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|language=es-AR}} She conceded two goals, both in the loss to Venezuela. La albiceleste finished third and did not advance to the next round.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/international/south-america/sudamericano-u20-femenino/2022/group-stage/r65723/|title=Summary - Sudamericano U20 Femenino - South America - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway|access-date=16 November 2022|work=int.soccerway.com}} It was part of a mixed call between sub-18 and sub-20 for the COTIF La Alcudia 2022 tournament,{{cite web|url=https://www.afa.com.ar/en/posts/argentina-viaja-a-los-torneos-cotif-la-alcudia-2022|title=Las Selecciones Sub20 y juvenil Femenina, en viaje a España para disputar el Torneo COTIF L' Alcudia|access-date=16 November 2022|work=Sitio Oficial de la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|language=es-AR}}{{cite web|url=https://www.afa.com.ar/es/posts/plantel-femenino-confirmado-para-viajar-al-torneo-internacional-cotif-la-alcudia|title=Plantel Femenino confirmado para viajar al Torneo Internacional COTIF La Alcudia|access-date=16 November 2022|work=Sitio Oficial de la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|language=es-AR}} where her team finished runner-up.{{cite web|url=https://www.elgrafico.com.ar/articulo/1113/55553/argentina-cayo-en-la-final-del-torneo-de-lalcudia|title=Argentina cayó en la final del torneo de L'Alcudia|access-date=16 November 2022|work=El Gráfico|language=es}}
Esponda earned a call-up to the Argentina women's national team for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.{{cite web |title=Lista de convocadas para el Mundial Australia/Nueva Zelanda 2023 |trans-title=Squad list for the Australia/New Zealand 2023 World Cup |language=es |url=https://www.afa.com.ar/es/posts/lista-de-convocadas-para-el-mundial-australia/nueva-zelanda-202 |publisher=Argentine Football Association |date=8 July 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.cariverplate.com.ar/ver-jugador-lara-esponda-1809 Lara Esponda in cariverplate]
- [http://direct.ceroacero.es/player.php?id=859727 Lara Esponda in Ceroacero]
{{Argentina squad 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Esponda, Lara}}
Category:Footballers from Buenos Aires
Category:Argentine women's footballers
Category:21st-century Argentine sportswomen
Category:Women's association football goalkeepers
Category:Club Atlético River Plate (women) players
Category:Argentina women's youth international footballers