Although Mariona Caldentey's Ballon d'Or qualifications are not widely known, the 2025 runner-up can make her case by leading Arsenal to the Women's Champions League final
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Many people deserved recognition when Arsenal shocked Barcelona to win the Women's Champions League last year. There were other factors contributing to the triumph, such as the remarkable turnaround managed by interim-turned-permanent coach Renee Slegers, the goal-scoring prowess of Alessia Russo, or the classic style of midfield played by Kim Little. However, it was difficult to avoid being particularly pulled to Mariona Caldentey's influence.
The Spain international, who came to England on a free transfer from Barcelona prior to the 2024–25 season, made a name for herself as one of the season's biggest acquisitions with an outstanding debut season. She finished second in the Women's Super League and third in the Champions League for direct goal involvements on her way to winning Player of the Year domestically before placing second in the Ballon d'Or voting, only behind three-time winner Aitana Bonmati.
Her performances were hardly shocking to those who had followed Caldentey over her ten years at Barcelona. Although not well-known at the time, this was largely due to the abundance of celebrities in Catalunya, which occasionally caused the 30-year-old to be overlooked. Regular spectators and her peers were always impressed by her intelligence, technical prowess, and capacity to influence any game. She was able to contribute these attributes to Arsenal in a way that ultimately earned her the recognition she had long deserved.
However, Caldentey hasn't made the news as much this time around as her second season in north London draws to a close. But rather than a sharp decline in form, that is largely due to the deeper role she has played in Slegers' team this time.
Now that the Gunners are nearing the end of their Champions League championship defense, Caldentey has the opportunity to demonstrate this and remind everyone of why so many people thought she should have won the Golden Ball the previous year.
Attacking the playmaker
Sometimes injuries would compel her to take on one of those more subdued roles, but Jonas Eidevall and Slegers used the imaginative Spaniard as a more sophisticated playmaker after his departure.
Caldentey performed exceptionally well in more senior roles during the initial part of her maiden season at Arsenal. She was allowed to come inside instead of being forced to play as a touchline-hugging winger at Barcelona, where she frequently played on the left wing. She frequently played more as a No. 10 ahead of a double pivot of Little and Lia Walti, though there was some of that at Arsenal, particularly early on.
Then something changed as winter gave way to spring. Slegers decided to pair Caldentey with Little in the double pivot even though Little, Walti, and Kyra Cooney-Cross—the three primary candidates for Arsenal's deeper midfield positions—were available. The Gunners crushed Liverpool 4-0, proving that it worked. A few days later, it proved effective in the 3-0 thrashing of Real Madrid. Then it became stuck.
Diminished attention
However, Caldentey's shift in role has also somewhat removed her from the spotlight. She and Slegers are equally focused on the success of the team and will never prioritize receiving external acclaim. Even while the 30-year-old is still performing at a very significant rate, there is undoubtedly less enthusiasm and hype surrounding Caldentey's performances this season than there was last.It's unfortunate because Caldentey is once again a major factor in why Arsenal is enjoying themselves in Europe. They will play Lyon in the Champions League semi-finals on Sunday and are on course to finish second in the WSL, which would allow them to enter the European league phase of the following season without having to qualify.
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