The narrative of women in sports often finds itself relegated to the sidelines. It is our mission to change that, to amplify their accomplishments and to weave a tapestry of stories that inspire and empower. Our weekly column Latin Women in Sports seeks to applaud their accomplishments, break down barriers, and champion the idea that in sports, as in life, every voice deserves to be heard.
ALABAMA - Born in the small town of Sibaté, Colombia, in the outskirts of Bogotá, Mayra Ramírez always knew she wanted to play soccer.
From a very young age, Mayra immersed herself in the world of sports and began playing futsal at her school, even representing her region in national competitions. "As a girl, she was always playing. She started playing futsal, maybe that's why she's so good with the ball. You could see her dedication and the support from her family from early on. She moved to Funza at a very young age, sacrificing her family and her town for her dream," said Gabriel Bejarano, Mayra's youth coach, in an interview with Colombian network Caracol.
It's fair to say that Ramírez' sacrifice has paid off. The Colombian striker is now one of the most prolific players in Liga F of Spain, one of the best women's leagues in the world.
After making her debut with Colombian Real Pasión, Ramírez attracted the interest of Independiente de Medellín, where she played one year before making the move across the Atlantic. Sporting Club de Huelva signed Ramírez in 2020 and her career has continued trending up ever since.
Mayra Ramírez has also developed into one of Colombia's leaders at the national team level. Surrounded by a great generation of Colombian soccer players, Ramírez and co. first made history in 2019 by winning the gold medal at the 2019 Pan American games.
The successes continued in 2022 with a 2nd-place finish at the Copa América Femenina, which earned the team a spot in last year's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. There, Colombia shocked the world beating Germany and reaching the Quarterfinals of the tournament.
@justwomenssports This Colombian fan ran on the pitch for a selfie with Mayra Ramírez at the World Cup #fifawwc #soccer #soccertiktok 🎥: @Canal WAMO
♬ original sound - Just Women’s Sports
Thanks to their performance during the Copa América Femenina, Colombia will also compete in this year's Summer Olympics for the third time in history and the first one since 2016. With more international experience under their belt, Colombia could make a deep run in the tournament if players like Ramírez continue at a very high level.
After two seasons with Sporting de Huelva, Ramírez made the switch to Liga F rival Levante, where she has continued to shine. This season, her 6 league goals have helped her team climb to 2nd place in Liga F, only behind women's soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona.
Just last week Ramírez had a career highlight when she scored a hat trick in Levante's 5-0 dismantling of Villarreal in Liga F play. Her three goals earned her a spot in EA Sports' FC 24 Team of the Week.
Since arriving to Levante, Mayra Ramírez has been one of the most prolific strikers in Liga F, with 20 league goals to her name since the start of last season. They reached another milestone in the club's history earlier this season by competing in the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time.
The Colombian soccer player could crown an amazing season by helping Levante end a 15-year drought without a trophy by winning the Supercopa de España Femenina, where they will face Atlético Madrid in the semifinals next Tuesday, Jan. 16.
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