A very Catalan team fights for glory 10,000 kilometers from home

BarcelonaThree matches. Three wins. 62 goals scored. 17 conceded. These are the group stage figures for the Spanish women's water polo team, which has been competing in the World Cup in Singapore since July 11. With twelve Catalan players, out of the fourteen called up, the team coached by Jordi Valls (Terrassa, 1977) is already preparing for this Saturday's match (2:45 p.m. Spanish time / RTVE Play) against the Netherlands. "They're an opponent at our level who have good players in the two-meter line, good shuttlers, and a game based on speed, counterattacks, and one-on-one play," Valls analyzes.

The quarterfinals will be the first test for the new Spanish coach, who has taken over the team after fifteen seasons with Miki Oca at the helm of the national team. A time in which Valls has been part of thestaffThe reigning Olympic champions already defeated the Netherlands last summer in Paris on penalties. "The team is doing well. We knew we were in the group we were drawn into," a priori"One or two steps ahead of any of the teams we've competed against," Valls admits.

Up to eight players are returning from the squad that won gold in France a year ago (Paula Crespí, Anni Espar, Paula Leitón, Bea Ortiz, Nona Pérez, Elena Ruiz, Martina Terré and Paula Camús). Three more experienced water polo players are joining the world championship (Irene González, Paula Prats and Ari Ruiz) and three younger players eager to contribute their bit (Carlota Peñalver, Mariona Terré and Daniela Moreno). The fourteen have competed this past season on Catalan teams. "Most of the clubs that are in European competition, competing in the play-off And the League finals are held in Catalonia, and it's true that in recent years, in terms of number and international appearances, the majority of players are from home," explains the coach.

Mediterranean Diet in Singapore

More than 10,000 kilometers from Barcelona, Singapore is a city located in Southeast Asia. Another six hours away from the Catalan capital, this July it hosts the World Swimming Championships (diving, high diving, open water swimming, swimming, artistic swimming, and water polo). The heat is also present, but the excellent facilities, both for competition and training, help ensure optimal preparation.

Despite being a quite different culture from here, Valls assures that the hotels take into account the profile of the athletes staying and adapt the food to their needs. "You can order some more Asian food, but if you want to follow the type of food we're used to in Europe, there's rice, pasta, meat..., which allows for a balanced diet," explains the coach.

Changes compared to Miki Oca

This is Jordi Valls's first major tournament leading the Spanish national team after a lifetime of dedication to water polo. Despite consulting his family, he didn't hesitate to accept the position. "My day-to-day life didn't change much because I was already on the national team's coaching staff, with all the travel that entails. The difference was in the responsibility of the position." After fifteen seasons with Miki Oca, the assistants have also changed. "There are parts of the preparation that do change, but the essence, in many ways, remains the same. In many ways, I was lucky that Miki trusted me a lot, listened to me, and let me make decisions within my work and day-to-day life," she confesses.

The commitment to women's sport has also had a positive impact on the Spanish water polo team. "We've noticed a lot of improvement in the clubs. When I started, there were three or four clubs that really invested a little in women's sport; now, many more teams have all-female youth categories." Valls will complete her Olympic cycle until Los Angeles 2028. "The long-term goal is to build a competitive team. And being competitive, when we talk about high level, is being able to enter the fight for medals."

The men also show superiority

Aside from the women's team, the men's team also completed a perfect group stage with three wins in their three matches. The last, a narrow 10-9 victory over Hungary, came after a comeback in the final period. A victory that gave them direct qualification for the quarterfinals, where they will face Montenegro on Sunday. "The players have a lot of individual quality and are ready to be competitive and aspire to everything. However, there are other teams with good structures that are also competitive enough to fight for medals. This is top-level competition," concludes Jordi Valls.