Melissa Espina
{{Short description|Chilean footballer (born 1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Melissa Espina
| fullname = Melissa Andrea Espina Esquivel
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|7|6|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Santiago, Chile
| currentclub = {{ill|lt=Deportes Iquique|Deportes Iquique (women)|es|Club de Deportes Iquique (femenino)}}
| clubnumber =
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| collegeyears1 = 2015–2020
| college1 = Aztecas UDLAP
| years1 = 2007 | clubs1 = Unión San Felipe
| years2 = {{0|0000}}–2010 | clubs2 = {{ill|lt=Audax Italiano|Audax Italiano (women)|es|Audax Italiano La Florida (femenino)}}
| years3 = 2011–2012 | clubs3 = Colo-Colo
| years4 = 2013–2014 | clubs4 = Universidad de Chile
| years5 = 2020–2022 | clubs5 = {{ill|lt=Palestino|Club Deportivo Palestino (women)|es|Club Deportivo Palestino (femenino)}}
| years6 = 2023 | clubs6 = Atlético San Luis
| years7 = 2024 | clubs7 = {{ill|lt=Audax Italiano|Audax Italiano (women)|es|Audax Italiano La Florida (femenino)}}
| years8 = 2025– | clubs8 = {{ill|lt=Deportes Iquique|Deportes Iquique (women)|es|Club de Deportes Iquique (femenino)}}
| nationalyears1 = 2009–2010
| nationalteam1 = Chile U17
| nationalyears2 = 2012
| nationalteam2 = Chile U20
| pcupdate =
| ntupdate =
}}
Melissa Andrea Espina Esquivel (born 6 July 1994) is a Chilean football player who plays as a midfielder for {{ill|lt=Deportes Iquique|Deportes Iquique (women)|es|Club de Deportes Iquique (femenino)|vertical-align=sup}}.
Club career
Born in Santiago de Chile,{{cite web |last1=Carrillo |first1=Ruth |title=Refuerzos de lujo |url=https://www.pressreader.com/mexico/el-universal/20230118/282578792158454 |publisher=El Universal |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es |date=18 January 2023}} Espina began playing football alongside male players.{{cite web |last1=Cervantes Saucedo |first1=Sergio |title=Melissa Espina: Pausa y genialidad chilena |url=https://www.poblanerias.com/2019/05/futbol-melissa-espina-pausa-y-genialidad-chilena/ |website=Poblanerias.com |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es |date=5 May 2019}}
At club level, she made her debut with Unión San Felipe at the age of thirteen.{{cite web |last1=Guerra |first1=Felipe |title=Melissa Espina: La volante de La Roja en el Mundial Sub 17 de 2010 |url=https://laroja.cl/new/melissa-espina-la-volante-de-la-roja-en-el-mundial-sub-17-de-2010 |website=LaRoja.cl |publisher=FFCh |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es |date=6 July 2020}}
Later, she played for {{ill|lt=Audax Italiano|Audax Italiano (women)|es|Audax Italiano La Florida (femenino)|vertical-align=sup}},{{cite web |title=Nóminas de Chile para Copas del Mundo Femeninas Sub-17 |url=https://www.partidosdelaroja.com/1970/01/nominas-de-chile-para-mundiales-femeninos-sub17.html |website=Partidos de La Roja |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es}} Colo-Colo{{cite web |title=Colo Colo es el monarca en el fútbol femenino sub 17 |url=https://www.alairelibre.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/futbol-femenino/colo-colo-es-el-monarca-en-el-futbol-femenino-sub-17/2011-07-09/174139.html |website=alairelibre.cl |publisher=Radio Cooperativa |access-date=13 September 2023 |language=es |date=9 July 2011}} and Universidad de Chile.{{cite web |title=Golearon Universidad de Chile y Colo Colo |url=https://www.anfp.cl/noticia/17598/golearon-universidad-de-chile-y-colo-colo |website=ANFP |access-date=13 September 2023 |language=es |date=4 May 2013}}{{cite web |title=Las Chunchitas se impusieron a Audax Italiano en el CDA |url=https://www.soyazul.cl/2014/07/06/noticias/las-chunchitas-se-impusieron-a-audax-italiano-en-el-cda/3108/ |website=SoyAzul |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es |date=6 July 2014}}{{cite web |last1=Silva |first1=Felipe |title="En Chile me tocó vivir lo que es entrenar sin luz; aquí puedo concentrarme en ser futbolista" |url=https://chile.as.com/deporte_femenino/en-chile-me-toco-vivir-lo-que-es-entrenar-sin-luz-aqui-puedo-concentrarme-en-ser-futbolista-n/ |website=AS Chile |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es |date=27 January 2023}}
In 2015, she emigrated to Mexico and spent six years playing at university level for Aztecas UDLAP until 2020.{{cite web |last1=Molina |first1=Geraldine |title=Melissa Espina es la primera chilena en la Liga MX Femenil tras fichar con Atlético de San Luis |url=https://www.contragolpe.cl/melissa-espina-es-la-primera-chilena-en-la-liga-mx-femenil-tras-fichar-con-atletico-de-san-luis/ |website=Contragolpe |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es |date=31 December 2022}}
Back in Chile, she joined {{ill|lt=Palestino|Club Deportivo Palestino (women)|es|Club Deportivo Palestino (femenino)|vertical-align=sup}}. In February 2022, she signed her first professional contract with them.{{cite web |title=Cuatro jugadoras firmaron sus primeros contratos como profesionales en Palestino |url=https://www.alairelibre.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/futbol-femenino/cuatro-jugadoras-firmaron-sus-primeros-contratos-como-profesionales-en/2022-02-17/210904.html |website=alairelibre.cl |publisher=Radio Cooperativa |access-date=13 September 2023 |language=es |date=17 February 2022}} In the first half of the same year, she suffered a collarbone fracture, returning to play in the second half.
In 2023, she joined the Mexican club Atlético San Luis, becoming the first Chilean player in the Liga MX Femenil. She made his debut on 16 January in the 3–1 win against León{{cite web |title=México: Melissa Espina jugó su primer partido con el Atlético San Luis Femenil |url=https://www.golmaster.cl/mexico-melissa-espina-jugo-su-primer-partido-con-el-atletico-san-luis/ |website=GolMaster |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=es |date=16 January 2023}} and left the club in the second half of the year.{{cite web |title="Estoy cansado de tu pinch* acento": ex jugadoras de San Luis revelan violencia que sufrieron |url=https://esto.com.mx/757907-ex-jugadoras-espanolas-de-atletico-san-luis-acusan-maltratos-sufridos/ |website=esto.com.mx |access-date=13 September 2023 |language=es |date=25 August 2023}}
In 2024, Espina returned to her homeland and rejoined Audax Italiano.{{cite news |last1=Molina |first1=Geraldine |title=Melissa Espina vuelve a Chile y es nuevo refuerzo de Audax Italiano |url=https://www.contragolpe.cl/melissa-espina-vuelve-a-chile-y-es-nuevo-refuerzo-de-audax-italiano/ |access-date=18 January 2024 |work=Contragolpe |date=17 January 2024 |language=es}} The next year, she switched to {{ill|lt=Deportes Iquique|Deportes Iquique (women)|es|Club de Deportes Iquique (femenino)|vertical-align=sup}}.{{cite news |last1=Molina |first1=Geraldine |title=Melissa Espina defenderá a Deportes Iquique durante 2025 |url=https://www.contragolpe.cl/melissa-espina-defendera-a-deportes-iquique-durante-2025/ |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=Contragolpe |date=15 January 2025 |language=es}}
International career
In 2009, Espina represented Chile U17 in friendly matches previous to the 2010 South American Championship, but she was hit by a car while riding a bicycle, suffering a fracture in two lumbar vertebrae and not taking part in the final squad. However, she took part in the FIFA World Cup.
In 2012, she represented the under-20's.
At senior level, she has taken part in training microcycles in 2021.{{cite instagram |user=palestino |postid=CPRfi8gNRMt |title=¡Felicidades chicas!👏🏼👏🏼 |date=24 May 2020 |access-date=12 September 2021 |language=es}}{{cite web |last1=Benavides |first1=Camilo |title=La Roja Femenina continúa con las prácticas de cara a Tokio |url=https://laroja.cl/item/la-roja-femenina-continua-con-las-practicas-de-cara-a-tokio |website=LaRoja.cl |publisher=FFCh |access-date=13 September 2023 |language=es |date=24 May 2021}}
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.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Liga MX Femenil player|162989}}
- {{Soccerway|melissa-espina/150984}}
- {{WorldFootball.net|melissa-espina}}
- [https://www.playmakerstats.com/jogador.php?id=872376 Melissa Espina] at PlaymakerStats.com
- [https://www.cutelmex.com/2018b/futFemenil/jugador/1864/melissa-andrea-espina-esquivel Melissa Espina]{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} at Cutelmex {{inlang|es}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Espina, Melissa}}
Category:Footballers from Santiago, Chile
Category:Chilean women's footballers
Category:21st-century Chilean sportswomen
Category:Chilean expatriate women's footballers
Category:Chile women's youth international footballers
Category:Unión San Felipe footballers
Category:Audax Italiano footballers
Category:Colo-Colo (women) footballers
Category:Club Universidad de Chile (women) footballers
Category:Club Deportivo Palestino (women) players
Category:Atlético San Luis footballers
Category:Deportes Iquique footballers
Category:Liga MX Femenil players
Category:Chilean expatriate sportspeople in Mexico
Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Mexico