Both the Spanish squad, La Roja, and the English team, the Lionesses, are playing in their first Women’s World Cup final.
Sixth-ranked Spain advanced to the championship game on Tuesday (15 August) against Sweden, 2-1, after Olga Carmona’s spectacular goal off the underside of the bar in the 89th minute.
England, the reigning winners of the 2022 European Championship, advanced to the final on Wednesday (16 August) with a 3-1 victory against the Australian Matildas in a semifinal match played in England.
There are a lot of LGBTQ+ people on both teams who will be representing their countries and the gay community with pride.
Although England’s Beth Mead and Leah Williamson are injured and will miss the competition, the Lionesses still have a strong contingent of openly gay players who are demonstrating their abilities at the highest level of women’s football.
Whether you’re rooting for England, Spain, or just excellent gay football, this handy guide will tell you who the out LGBTQ+ players for Spain are dating.
Alba Redondo’s partner is university professor Cristina Monleón
Alba Redondo’s off-field partner is a professor at Catholic University in Valencia and a physical trainer for the Spanish national dancing team, Cristina Monleón.
Redondo and Monleón’s ecstatic kiss on the field after Spain’s lopsided victory against Zambia was an endearing example of LGBTQ+ visibility during the World Cup.
Monleón’s Instagram is rife with adorable photographs of the couple with sweet notes that show how openly they discuss their romance.
She gushed about Redondo in a Facebook post, writing, “You are goodness, love, peace, tranquility, family, home, and also my lifesaver.”
Alba Redondo, forward
Alba Redondo has had a fantastic World Cup, contributing to two of Spain’s goals in their first match against Zambia and scoring three times overall.
The striker started off her professional career with Foundation Albacete, where she played from 2012 to 2019 and scored 30 goals in 57 appearances.
Redondo has been a member of the Levante UD Femenino roster since 2019, during which time she has scored 61 goals in 123 games (including 27 in 30 games during the 2018–19 campaign) in the Spanish Liga F.
As the league’s leading scorer in 2022–23, she was presented with the Pichichi Trophy.
Irene Paredes’ partner is field hockey player Lucia Ybarra
In September 2021, Irene Paredes and her husband, field hockey defender Lucia Ybarra, had their son, Mateo.
The couple often updates their fans on Instagram and Twitter with photos from their everyday lives as a family, including outings to the park, the pool, and the beach.
Irene Paredes, defender
Irene Paredes, who plays for Barcelona instead of Redondo, is a Liga F player.
She spent five years with Paris Saint-Germain, where she competed in Division 1 Féminine and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, before making the move to Spain.
Paredes, who was elected captain of PSG before the 2018-19 season began, led the club to its first league championship with a 3-0 home victory against Dijon, snapping Lyon’s record-setting 14-year streak as champions of France’s first division.
After her contract with PSG concluded in 2021, Paredes signed a two-year agreement with Barcelona, where she would go on to win the Women’s Champions League and Supercopa de Espaa Femenina for a record-tying second time.
Ivana Andrés’ partner is Anabel Moreno Barragán
In a stunning wedding in Valencia in 2022, Ivana Andrés married Anabel Moreno Barragán.
The couple made the happy announcement in February 2023.
Ivana Andrés, defender
When Spain faces England in the World Cup final on Sunday, skipper Ivana Andrés will be looking to lead her side to victory.
Andres, who spent the first several years of her professional career with Valencia and then two with Levante, has been playing for Real Madrid in Liga F since 2020.
Since 2015, the defender has been a regular member of Spain’s national squad. She was a key player in the 2010 and 2011 European Championship victories for the under-17 team.
Abelleira, Teresa, midfielder
Ivana Andrés’ Real Madrid lineup also includes Spanish midfielder Teresa Abelleira.
At the age of 16, she started her professional career with Deportivo La Coruna, where she remained for four years and scored 10 goals in 27 games.
After transferring to Real Madrid in 2020, Abelleira has played 80 times for the club and scored eight goals.
After helping Spain win the 2018 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship with a 1-0 victory against Germany, she was crowned European champion.
Abelleira slammed in the first of Spain’s five goals in the ninth minute of their recent World Cup victory against Zambia.
Teresa Abelleira’s partner is fellow footballer Patricia Curbelo
Abelleira is dating his teammate off the field, a soccer player named Patricia Curbelo.
Although they seem to keep their relationship under wraps, in 2019 it was discovered that the couple had suffered homophobic harassment after coming out.
