Vicky Lopez to debut in Women’s Champions League final
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Vicky Lopez is a 19‑year‑old attacking midfielder who has become a regular starter for Barcelona and the Spain women’s national team.
- Vicky Lopez will make her first Women’s Champions League final appearance on 23 May, when Barcelona face Lyon at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo (17:00 BST, BBC Two/iPlayer).
- Alba Mellado – a professional footballer and youth coach at Madrid CFF – recruited Lopez after a chance meeting on a Benidorm beach in 2015, using a Rayo Vallecano shirt and an inflatable boat to persuade her to join the club.
- Vicky Lopez grew up in the working‑class Vallecas neighbourhood of Madrid, playing street football from age four and later losing her mother to a brain tumour at age eleven, a tragedy supported by her teammates.
- Vicky Lopez is expected to be a key player for Spain at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, where she is poised for global recognition.
Why it matters: Barcelona and Spain gain a rising star as 19‑year‑old Vicky Lopez, who overcame personal tragedy, steps onto the 23 May Women’s Champions League final stage, boosting the team’s attacking options and drawing global attention to women’s football.
