Spain women's national basketball team

Spain

FIBA ranking	4 (15 February 2024)[1]
Joined FIBA	1934
FIBA zone	FIBA Europe
National federation	FEB
Coach	Miguel Méndez
Olympic Games
Appearances	5
Medals	Silver: (2016)
World Cup
Appearances	7
Medals	Silver: (2014) Bronze: (2010, 2018)
EuroBasket
Appearances	22
Medals	Gold: (1993, 2013, 2017, 2019) Silver: (2007, 2023) Bronze: (2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2015)
Home Away
First international
Spain 31–40 Switzerland  (Malgrat de Mar, Spain; 16 June 1963)
Biggest win
Spain 113–42 Fiji  (Madrid, Spain; 9 June 2008)
Biggest defeat
Soviet Union 115–42 Spain  (Treviso, Italy; 12 September 1985)
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 1 0 Women's World Cup 0 1 2 EuroBasket Women 4 2 5 Mediterranean Games 1 0 3 Total 5 4 10

The Spain women's national basketball team (Spanish: Selección Española de Baloncesto Femenina) represents Spain in international women's basketball competition and are regulated by the Spanish Basketball Federation, the governing body for basketball in Spain. Spain has one of the most successful women's national teams in the world, being the current FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023 silver medallists.^[2]

History

Spain women's basketball team played their first official game in Malgrat de Mar, Barcelona, against Switzerland on 16 June 1963, losing 31–40.^[3] They won their first game against the same team two days later, 47–39. It would take six years to play another international friendly game, losing to Cuba 50–70 on 28 September 1969.^[4]

Their first official games were in March 1970, trying to qualify for the 1970 EuroBasket, winning their first game against Switzerland 61–44 and losing to Hungary and France. The team qualified for their first major international tournament in their next attempt, the 1974 EuroBasket. After losing their three group stage games, they won their first game in a final tournament against Denmark in the placement matches, finishing in 12th position. Rosa Castillo is considered the best player from the mid-70s to the mid-80s.

Until 1985, Spain played most Eurobasket tournaments, usually finishing around 10th. An important year for the evolution of the team was the celebration on home soil of the 1987 EuroBasket, finishing on 6th position. The team entered their first Summer Olympics qualification in 1988, but failed to qualify. Their first Olympic games were also on home soil in the 1992 Summer Olympics, finishing 5th.

After failing to qualify for the two previous Eurobaskets and having never played a knockout game in a major tournament, the gold medal at the 1993 EuroBasket came as a surprise, beating the newly formed Slovakia in the semi-finals 73–55 and France in the final 63–53. With Blanca Ares as their key player (19 PPG), Spain undoubtedly took advantage of the dissolution of the dominant European teams of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and especially the Soviet Union.

The EuroBasket victory gave Spain the right to participate in the 1994 Women's World Cup for the first time, finishing 8th. Since then, the team has qualified for every World Cup -seven in a row-, winning three medals.

From 2001 up to 2009, Spain entered a loop of winning five consecutive medals in the Eurobaskets (1 silver, 4 bronze) and being eliminated in the quarterfinals in Summer Olympics and World Cups, until they finally won bronze in the 2010 Women's World Cup. From her debut in 1995 to her retirement in 2013, forward Amaya Valdemoro became the leader of the Spanish squad, taking part in 13 tournaments, playing 258 games, winning 7 medals and becoming the top scorer with 2,743 points.

The defeat against Croatia on 26 June in Katowice in the second stage of the 2011 EuroBasket and the consequent absence from the 2012 Olympics has been cited by coaches and players^[5][6] as a catalyst for a golden period of seven consecutive medals under coach Lucas Mondelo. After playing the qualification matches in the summer of 2012, Spain went on to win the 2013 EuroBasket with a balance of 9–0. Afterwards, they won silver in the 2014 Women's World Cup, bronze in the 2015 EuroBasket, silver in the 2016 Summer Olympics and gold again in the 2017 EuroBasket. Spain also won the bronze medal at the 2018 Women's World Cup held on home soil in September 2018. In July 2019 Spain successfully defended their European crown by beating France 86–66 in the final of the EuroBasket Women 2019. These seven successful tournaments came to a halt in the summer of 2021, when the team finished 7th in the 2021 EuroBasket played on home soil and 6th in the 2020 Olympic Games. These results are quite commendable, considering that Spain have only competed with the world elite for two decades. This series of results took the Spanish team to be ranked No. 2 in the ranking of FIBA. In the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023, despite a strong performance, they lost to Belgium in the final.^[7]

In the senior team for two decades (2002-2021) point guard Laia Palau is the record-holder for most caps (314) and most medals (12) in 19 final tournaments. In the team since 2008, forward Alba Torrens has been regarded as the most talented player of this generation, having won 9 medals in 12 tournaments.

At the Mediterranean Games, Spain won gold in 1991, and bronze in 1993, 2001 and 2005.

Competition record

List of matches 2022–2024, including friendlies and scheduled matches
M	OPPONENT	F	A	+/-	TOP SCORER	PTS	EVENT	DATE	LOCATION
							2024 Olympics 1R	2024.08.03/04	Lille (FRA)
							2024 Olympics 1R	2024.07.31/08.01	Lille (FRA)
							2024 Olympics 1R	2024.07.28/29	Lille (FRA)
769	Hungary	73	72	+1	María Conde	16	2024 Olympics qualification	2024.02.11	Sopron (HUN)
768	Canada	60	55	+5	Megan Gustafson	16	2024 Olympics qualification	2024.02.09	Sopron (HUN)
767	Japan	75	86	-11	Raquel Carrera	19	2024 Olympics qualification	2024.02.08	Sopron (HUN)
766	Austria	75	34	+41	Paula Ginzo	16	2025 EuroBasket qualification	2023.11.12	Tenerife
765	Croatia	70	65	+5	María Conde	12	2025 EuroBasket qualification	2023.11.09	Split (CRO)
764	Belgium	58	64	-6	Queralt Casas	14	2023 EuroBasket F	2023.06.25	Ljubljana (SLO)
763	Hungary	69	60	+9	Alba Torrens	27	2023 EuroBasket SF	2023.06.24	Ljubljana (SLO)
762	Germany	67	42	+25	Laura Gil	13	2023 EuroBasket QF	2023.06.22	Ljubljana (SLO)
761	Greece	76	60	+16	Queralt Casas	16	2023 EuroBasket 1R	2023.06.18	Tel-Aviv (ISR)
760	Montenegro	78	57	+21	María Conde	20	2023 EuroBasket 1R	2023.06.16	Tel-Aviv (ISR)
759	Latvia	63	67	-4	Laura Gil	20	2023 EuroBasket 1R	2023.06.15	Tel-Aviv (ISR)
758	Hungary	65	77	-12	Leonor Rodríguez	16	2023 Friendly	2023.06.10	Sopron (HUN)
757	Hungary	65	63	+2	Alba Torrens	23	2023 Friendly	2023.06.09	Sopron (HUN)
756	Belgium	72	54	+18	Raquel Carrera	14	2023 Friendly	2023.06.04	Córdoba
755	Turkey	76	37	+39	María Conde	12	2023 Friendly	2023.06.02	Córdoba
754	China	76	60	+16	Raquel Carrera	21	2023 Friendly	2023.05.26	Vigo
753	Italy	55	44	+11	Paula Ginzo, Raquel Carrera	10	2023 Friendly	2023.05.25	Vigo
752	Iceland	88	34	+54	Paula Ginzo	13	2023 EuroBasket qualification	2023.02.12	Reykjavík (ISL)
751	Romania	75	32	+43	Ángela Salvadores	14	2023 EuroBasket qualification	2023.02.09	Sfântu Gheorghe (ROM)
750	Hungary	77	66	+11	Astou Ndour	21	2023 EuroBasket qualification	2022.11.27	Huelva
749	Iceland	120	54	+66	María Araújo	19	2023 EuroBasket qualification	2022.11.24	Huelva
748	Italy	54	46	+8	María Conde	16	2022 Friendly	2022.06.19	Cividale del Friuli (ITA)
747	Slovenia	60	56	+4	María Conde	17	2022 Friendly	2022.06.18	Cividale del Friuli (ITA)
746	Belgium	79	70	+9	Astou Ndour	24	2022 Friendly	2022.06.03	Melilla
745	Italy	60	49	+11	María Conde	12	2022 Friendly	2022.06.01	Melilla

Olympic Games Olympic Games Qualifying Year Position Pld W L Pld W L 1976 Did not enter 1980 1984 1988 Did not qualify 5 2 3 1992 5th 5 3 2 1996 Did not qualify 2000 2004 6th 7 4 3 2008 5th 6 3 3 3 2 1 2012 Did not qualify 2016 8 6 2 3 3 0 2020 6th 4 3 1 3 2 1 2024 Qualified 3 2 1 Total 30 19 11 17 11 6 FIBA Women's World Cup Women's World Cup Year Position Pld W L 1953 N/A (Team did not exist) 1957 1959 1964 Did not enter 1967 1971 1975 Did not qualify 1979 1983 1986 1990 1994 8th 8 3 5 1998 5th 9 5 4 2002 5th 9 6 3 2006 8th 9 4 5 2010 9 7 2 2014 6 5 1 2018 7 5 2 2022 Did not qualify 2026 To be determined Total 57 35 22

EuroBasket Women EuroBasket Women Qualification Year Position Pld W L Pld W L 1938 N/A (Team didn't exist) 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 Did not enter 1966 1968 1970 Did not qualify 3 1 2 1972 Did not enter 1974 12th 7 1 6 4 3 1 1976 10th 7 2 5 3 3 0 1978 11th 7 2 5 4 3 1 1980 10th 7 4 3 3 3 0 1981 Did not qualify 1983 11th 7 2 5 4 3 1 1985 10th 7 3 4 1987 6th 7 3 4 1989 Did not qualify 5 3 2 1991 5 3 2 1993 5 4 1 5 3 2 1995 9th 6 2 4 1997 5th 8 5 3 5 4 1 1999 Did not qualify 5 3 2 2001 8 5 3 6 6 0 2003 8 7 1 6 6 0 2005 8 5 3 2007 9 7 2 2009 9 8 1 2011 9th 6 3 3 2013 9 9 0 8 6 2 2015 10 9 1 2017 6 5 1 4 4 0 2019 6 6 0 6 6 0 2021 7th 6 3 3 2023 6 4 2 6 6 0 2025 To be determined To be determined 2027 Total 159 99 60 84 68 16

Team

Current roster

Roster for the EuroBasket Women 2023.^[8][9]

Spain women's national basketball team roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr. PG 5 Cristina Ouviña 32 – (1990-09-18)18 September 1990 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) Valencia Basket G 6 Silvia Domínguez (C) 36 – (1987-01-31)31 January 1987 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) CB Avenida SF 7 Alba Torrens 33 – (1989-08-30)30 August 1989 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) Valencia Basket SF 9 Queralt Casas 30 – (1992-11-18)18 November 1992 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Valencia Basket SG 11 Leonor Rodríguez 31 – (1991-10-21)21 October 1991 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) CB Avenida PG 12 Maite Cazorla 25 – (1997-06-18)18 June 1997 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) USK Praha C 14 Raquel Carrera 21 – (2001-10-31)31 October 2001 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Valencia Basket C 20 Paula Ginzo 25 – (1998-02-16)16 February 1998 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) CB Santfeliuenc C 21 Lola Pendande 23 – (2000-03-29)29 March 2000 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) CB Santfeliuenc SF 22 María Conde 26 – (1997-01-14)14 January 1997 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) USK Praha PF 24 Laura Gil 31 – (1992-04-24)24 April 1992 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) CB Avenida SF 33 Laura Quevedo 27 – (1996-04-15)15 April 1996 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) ASVEL Basket	Head coach Miguel Méndez Assistant coach(es) Luis Rey Madelen Urieta Legend (C) Team captain Club – describes last club before the tournament Age – describes age on 15 June 2023

Individual records

• Bold denotes players still playing international basketball.

As of 25 June 2023^[10]

Top highscorers

Top highscorers in official games (friendlies not included).

As of 25 June 2023

Players	PTS	Opponent	Event	Date	Location
Amaya Valdemoro	39	Lithuania	2006 World Cup 2nd Round	2006.09.18	São Paulo (BRA)
Blanca Ares	36	Brazil	1994 World Cup 2nd Round	1994.06.10	Sydney (AUS)
Amaya Valdemoro	33	Brazil	2002 World Cup 2nd Round	2002.09.19	Suzhou (CHN)
Rosa Castillo	32	Belgium	1976 EuroBasket Classification Round	1976.05.25	Ferrand Clermont (FRA)
Rosa Castillo	32	Finland	1980 EuroBasket Classification Round	1980.09.23	Banjaluka (YUG)
Rosi Sánchez	32	China	2002 World Cup Classification Round	2002.09.25	Nanjing (CHN)
Alba Torrens	32	China	2016 Olympics 1st Round	2016.08.10	Rio (BRA)
Marina Ferragut	31	Latvia	1999 EuroBasket qualification	1998.05.15	Daruvar (CRO)
Marta Xargay	31	Ukraine	2019 EuroBasket 1st Round	2019.06.27	Riga (LAT)
Rocío Jiménez	30	England	1978 EuroBasket qualification	1978.03.23	Wolfenbuttel (GER)
Marta Fernández	30	Romania	2003 EuroBasket qualification	2001.11.25	Salamanca (ESP)
Amaya Valdemoro	30	China	2004 Olympics 1st Round	2004.08.16	Athens (GRE)
Alba Torrens	30	Russia	2013 EuroBasket 1st Round	2013.06.15	Vannes (FRA)

Top medallists

Most medals won with the national team in Olympic Games, Women's World Cups and EuroBaskets:

Player	Medals	Details
Laia Palau	12	Extended content 2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket 2007 EuroBasket 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket
Silvia Domínguez	9	Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket 2023 EuroBasket
Laura Nicholls	9	Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket
Alba Torrens	9	Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2023 EuroBasket
Anna Cruz	8	Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket
Laura Gil	8	Extended content 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket 2023 EuroBasket
Lucila Pascua	8	Extended content 2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket 2007 EuroBasket 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics

Head coaches

Timeline of head coaches with games and results in final tournaments at the (EuroBasket, Women's World Cup and Olympics)^[11]
(*) Results through 25 June 2023.

Years	M	W	L	%	Name	Competition
1963–1971	8	3	5	.375	Cholo Méndez	five friendlies, three qualifiers
1974–1978	50	20	30	.400	Josep María Solà	12th 1974 EuroBasket 10th 1976 EuroBasket 11th 1978 EuroBasket
1979	3	1	2	.333	Chema Buceta	three friendlies
1979–1984	54	24	30	.444	María Planas	10th 1980 EuroBasket 11th 1983 EuroBasket
1985–1992	177	91	86	.514	Chema Buceta	10th 1985 EuroBasket 6th 1987 EuroBasket 5th 1992 Summer Olympics
1992–1998	98	65	33	.663	Manolo Coloma	1993 EuroBasket 8th 1994 Women's World Cup 9th 1995 EuroBasket 5th 1997 EuroBasket 5th 1998 Women's World Cup
1999–2004	79	66	13	.835	Vicente Rodríguez	2001 EuroBasket 5th 2002 Women's World Cup 2003 EuroBasket 6th 2004 Summer Olympics
2005–2006	33	23	10	.697	Domingo Díaz	2005 EuroBasket 8th 2006 Women's World Cup
2007–2009	53	39	14	.736	Evaristo Pérez	2007 EuroBasket 5th 2008 Summer Olympics 2009 EuroBasket
2010–2011	33	25	8	.758	José Ignacio Hernández	2010 Women's World Cup 9th 2011 EuroBasket
2015	2	2	0	1.000	Víctor LapeñaA	two qualifiers
2012–2021	152	127	25	.836	Lucas Mondelo	2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket 7th 2021 EuroBasket 6th 2020 Summer Olympics
2021-	22	19	3	.864	Miguel Méndez	2023 EuroBasket

^{^A} Assistant coach Víctor Lapeña was appointed as head coach for two 2017 EuroBasket qualifiers in November 2015^[12]

Youth teams

	Europe U-20	World U-19	Europe U-18	World U-17	Europe U-16
2023
2022
2021		7th
2019	5th		5th
2018				6th
2017		8th	6th		5th
2016				6th
2015		4th			4th
2014
2013		4th
2012			5th
2011
2010				8th	4th
2009
2008	4th		5th
2007		4th
2006	4th
2005	8th	5th
2004	9th
2003					4th
2002	5th		5th
2001		DNQ			7th
2000	5th		6th
1999
1998
1997		8th			5th
1996			4th
1995					4th
1994
1993		DNQ
1992			5th
1991					9th
1990
1989		5th			4th
1988			6th
1987					9th
1986			12th
1985		7th			9th
1984			4th		7th
1983			8th
1982					8th
1981			9th
1980					10th
1979			DNQ
1978					11th
1977			11th
1976					10th
1975			6th
1973			8th
1965–71			DNQ

See also

• Spanish Basketball Federation
• Spain national basketball team
• Spain national youth basketball teams

References

External links

National teams

Men	Spain Results Head to head U-20 U-19 U-18 U-17 U-16 3x3 Wheelchair basketball
Women	Spain Results Head to head U-20 U-19 U-18 U-17 U-16 3x3

League competitions

Men	ACB Primera FEB Segunda FEB Tercera FEB Primera División
Women	LF LF 2
Wheelchair	División de Honor

Cup competitions

Men	Copa del Rey Supercopa de España Spain Cup Copa Príncipe de Asturias ACB (defunct) Copa Princesa de Asturias (defunct) Copa LEB Plata (defunct)
Women	Copa de la Reina Supercopa de España

Regional cupsRegional teamsFriendly competitions