The Spanish women's water polo team debuts this Wednesday in the Superfinal in Sydney (Australia) against Hungary in the quarter-finals. The Olympic and world champions are seeking the only title missing from their trophy cabinet: gold in this competition.
The 'Water Warriors' arrive in Sydney with the mission of conquering the Superfinal of the World Cup, the only major title that has eluded them. The Spanish team, which has already been Olympic champion in Paris 2024, world champion in Barcelona 2013, and three-time European champion, faces Hungary this Wednesday in the quarter-finals (12:15 hours, live on RTVE Play).
A significant absence in attack
The major absence in the squad is Bea Ortiz, the top scorer from the last European Championship and captain of the team. The Catalan, a pillar of recent successes, has recently undergone surgery and is in the midst of recovery. "I will miss my girls this summer, but I will be following them closely and in the blink of an eye, I will be back with them again," she wrote on her social media.
Queralt Antón is also missing from the list, as she will be balancing her role as captain of the junior team in the European and youth World Championships this summer. Ortiz's absence, along with the retirements of Laura Ester and Pili Peña and the pregnancies of Judith Forca and Maica García, forces coach Jordi Valls to reshape the squad.
A new identity with the same DNA
Since the Olympic gold in Paris 2024, Spain has been undergoing a process of regeneration. Last year they achieved bronze at the World Championship and finished fifth in this year's European Championship. "We are forming our new identity, but the champion DNA remains intact," assures Nona Pérez, named the best European player of 2025.
The national team consists of players from clubs in the province of Barcelona such as CN Sant Andreu, CN Mataró, CN Sabadell, CE Mediterrani, and CN At. Barceloneta. Paula Camus, Alba Muñoz, Nona Pérez, Ariadna Ruiz, Elena Ruiz, and Martina Terré (CN Sant Andreu); Queralt Bertran, Martina Claveria, and Mariona Terré (CN Mataró); Irene González and Paula Crespí (CN Sabadell); Carlota Peñalver and Lucía Rodríguez (CE Mediterrani); and Paula Leitón (CN At. Barceloneta) are the chosen ones.
We all aim for the gold medal and we are ready
This is how Queralt Bertran expressed herself in the lead-up, making it clear that the group believes in their chances despite the absences. "We all aim for the maximum, for gold, and we are ready. The absences are important and heavy, but we are trying to work even harder to balance out the lack of our teammates," she added.
The path to gold
The tournament brings together the eight best teams in the world. The other quarter-finals are USA-China, Italy-Australia, and Netherlands-Russia. If Spain overcomes Hungary, they would face the winner of the match between the Dutch and the Russians in the semi-finals. The Netherlands is the historical dominant team in the competition with eight titles, while Russia returns after FINA's sanction due to the war in Ukraine.
The semi-finals will take place on January 24 at 12:15 hours, and the grand final is scheduled for January 26. For fans from the province of Barcelona, this is an opportunity to see several players from local clubs fight for a world title. Additionally, this event comes at a time of transition for the team, which seeks to consolidate its new playing style without losing its competitive essence.
The quarter-final match against Hungary can be followed live on RTVE Play from 12:15 hours. The Spanish team hopes to count on the support of fans at home to take the first step towards the long-awaited gold.
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