Estefanía Banini

Estefanía Romina Banini Ruiz (born 21 June 1990) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward on loan for Spanish club Levante UD. She also plays for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL and the Argentina women's national team.

Estefanía Banini
Personal information
Full name Estefanía Romina Banini Ruiz
Date of birth (1990-06-21) 21 June 1990
Place of birth Mendoza, Argentina
Height 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Playing position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Levante
Number 10
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Colo-Colo
2015–2016 Washington Spirit 19 (5)
2016–2017 Valencia 21 (4)
2017– Washington Spirit 21 (2)
2018– → Levante (loan) 19 (5)
National team
2010– Argentina 16 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 May 2019
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Banini and the second or maternal family name is Ruiz.

Banini has previously spent four seasons with Colo-Colo of the Chilean women's football championship, two seasons with the Spirit, and a season with Valencia.[1][2] Banini is a member of the Argentine women's national team.[3] She is often referred to as the female equivalent of male football star Lionel Messi and the Marta of Argentina.[4][5][6][7]

Club career

Colo-Colo

Banini played for Colo-Colo in Chile from 2011 to 2014. In December 2014, she captained the team to win its ninth consecutive national title after scoring twice and defeating Santiago Morning 3–1.[8][9]

Washington Spirit (2015–2016)

In January 2015, it was announced that Banini had signed with the Washington Spirit for the third season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Of her signing, Spirit head coach Mark Parsons said, "Estefania is an exceptional talent and I do not think there is a player like her in the league. She is going to give the team a very different dynamic and provide us with real quality in the final third."[10] She played and started in the first four games of the 2015 season before sustaining an injury which sidelined her for the rest of the year. Banini came back strong midway through the 2016 season, scoring five goals in a seven-game period before sustaining another injury. The Argentine was awarded the Spirit 2016 Golden Boot award, NWSL Goal of the Week for Week 13, NWSL Player of the Week for Week 13, and NWSL Player of the Month for July.[11]

Valencia (2016–2017)

In October 2016 Banini transferred to Spain's Primera División club Valencia CF Femenino.[12]

Washington Spirit (2017–present)

Banini re-signed with the Washington Spirit on 19 June 2017.[2] she appeared in 9 games in 2017, and scored 1 goal. In 2018 Banini only appeared in 12 games for the Spirit as she missed time due to the 2018 Copa América and missed the last seven games of the season due to a knee injury.[13]

On 4 December 2018 Banini re-signed with the Spirit for the 2019 NWSL season.[14]

Loan to Levante

On 17 October 2018 Banini joined Levante in the Spanish Primera División.[15]

International career

Banini has played for the Argentina women's national football team since 2010. In September 2014, she scored a penalty kick in a match against Brazil helping Argentina win 2–0 during the Copa América Femenina tournament.[16] Banini scored three goals at the 2018 Copa América Femenina.[17]

International goals

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1
4 November 2010Estadio La Cocha, Latacunga, Ecuador Bolivia
3–0
3–0
2010 South American Women's Football Championship
2
10 March 2014Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida, Santiago, Chile
4–0
2014 South American Games
3
16 March 2014 Chile
1–0
2–1
4
20 September 2014Estadio Jorge Andrade, Azogues, Ecuador Brazil
2–0
2–0
2014 Copa América Femenina
5
28 September 2014Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador Ecuador
1–0
2–3
6
5 April 2018Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo, Chile Brazil
1–1
1–3
2018 Copa América Femenina
7
9 April 2018 Ecuador
1–0
6–3
8
13 April 2018 Venezuela
2–0
2–0

Honors and awards

Individual

  • Player of the Year: 2013, 2014

Team

  • Torneo de Clausura Femenino champion: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 [8]
  • Copa Libertadores: 2012[18]

References
  1. "Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini". Washington Spirit. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  2. Lombardo, Kayla (19 June 2017). "Washington Spirit sign Argentine international forward Estefanía Banini". www.excellesports.com. Excelle Sports. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  3. Colo Colo remece el fútbol femenino con fichaje de "la Messi" de la selección argentina Cooperativa.cl, 8 February 2011
  4. "Estefanía Banini, la ´Messi´ femenina, se luce humillando a brasileña". Grupo RPP. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  5. "Estefanía Banini, la "Messi" que bailó a las brasileñas". LG Deportiva. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  6. "- Atualizado em 10/11/2014 14h24 "Marta da Argentina", Estefanía Banini ganha apelido de Messi após dancinha" (10 November 2014). Globoesporte. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  7. "Estefanía Banini: "El fútbol femenino necesita apoyo de AFA"". Mas Deportes. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  8. "¡Colo-Colo Femenino Campeón otra vez!". Colo-Colo. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  9. "Estefanía Banini dejó Colo Colo Femenino". Mundo Colo Colo. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  10. "Spirit sign Argentine striker Estefania Banini". The Equalizer. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  11. http://washingtonspirit.com/persons/estefania-banini/
  12. Baidal, Analía Cuccia (18 October 2016). "Estefanía Banini: "En Valencia también quiero tener mi experiencia e intentar llegar lejos"" (in Spanish). Los Andes. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  13. "E.BANINI". Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  14. "Washington Spirit re-signs forward Estefanía Banini". 4 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  15. "El Levante ficha a la internacional argentina Estefanía Banini". 17 October 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  16. "Spirit sign Argentinian forward Estefania Banini". Washington Spirit. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  17. "Copa América Femenina - Ecuador 2014. Goleadoras". conmebol.com.
  18. "Colo-Colo Femenino parte a Brasil a defender la corona". Colo-Colo. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
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