Utah Royals FC is excited to welcome Claudia Zornoza from Real Madrid Femenino
Here are four fast facts to get you up to speed on the new midfielder:
- A World Cup Champion
Zornoza is a member of the Spain women's national football team. She has made 13 appearances for La Roja. She helped Spain win the 2023 World Cup, appearing in two of the group stage matches. Zornoza becomes the 5th Royal to have won a World cup joining the likes of Amy Rodriguez, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press, and Kelly O’ Hara. The Spaniard is the first to win it not as a member of the USWNT.
- A Madridista
The 33-year-old midfielder is coming from Real Madrid having made 80 appearances and scored 8 goals. One of Zornoza’s special moments was her goal in El Clásico femenino. Picking up the ball just on the halfway line driving forward she took a touch outside the box, picked up her head and took a left footed shot that floated over the keeper and into the back of the net to put Las Blancas up 2-1 against their rivals Barcelona.
- A Veteran
Zornoza is another addition that brings experience and leadership to the Royals. She has made 337 Senior appearances since 2010. Playing for 6 clubs across that time; Rayo Vallecano, Atlético de Madrid, Valencia, Real Sociedad, Levante, and Real Madrid.
- Diversity
Zornoza becomes the second Spaniard on the squad joining defender Ana Tejada as the first two Spaniards in the second iteration of the Royals, both joining the club midway through the 2024 Return of Royalty campaign. Joining an already diverse midfield group, Zornoza brings a sixth nationality to the room joining European midfielders Agnes Nyberg (Sweden), Amandine Henry (France), and Dana Foederer (Netherlands) along with New Zelander Macy Fraser and Americans Frankie Tagliaferri, Mikayla Cluff, and Emily Gray.
