Athenea del Castillo

Early career

Athenea started playing at Reocín in Cantabria at the age of 11. Later she moved to Ave Fénix Racing where she remained until the end of the 2018–19 Segunda División season, scoring 37 goals in 46 games. Her time there encompassed a 2017 merger whereby the team became part of Racing Santander.

Deportivo

In August 2019, it was announced that Athenea would be joining the newly promoted Primera División club, Deportivo Abanca, without the permission of her old club who tried to retain her registration, while the Galicians maintained their offer of a professional contract took precedence. Finally, in September, Racing Féminas formally allowed her transfer. On 8 September 2019, Athenea made her Primera División debut for Deportivo against RCD Espanyol and scored her first goal on 19 January 2020. In its first season the team was one of the revelations of the championship and finished in fourth position. The following year, and after numerous casualties, the team suffered throughout the course until finally losing the category on the penultimate matchday after suffering a defeat against Real Betis. At the end of the championship and her contract, she signed for the Real Madrid, a team qualified to compete in the Champions League.

Real Madrid

On 26 July 2021, following Deportivo's relegation, it was announced that she would be joining Real Madrid. Her debut with the Real Madrid took place in the continental competition. The first leg of…

Athenea was called into the Spain U19 squad for the 2018 UEFA Under-19 Championship in Switzerland, where the team won the title. She was also part of the squad that finished runners-up in the same competition a year later. She made her senior international debut on October 23, 2020, coming on as an 86th-minute substitute in a match against Czechia, becoming the first serving Deportivo player to gain a full cap. On September 21, 2021, she scored her first international goal in the 7–0 victory against Hungary. In the friendly against Morocco she scored a double in a 3–0 victory. In February 2022, after several consecutive call-ups with the senior team, she was left off the initial list for the 2022 Arnold Clark Cup, which would serve as preparation for Euro 2022. On those dates Athenea was called up with the under-23 team to play a friendly in Belgium. However, after Mariona Caldentey's injury in the first match of the tournament, Athenea was called to join the group. In Spain's second match in the tournament, Athenea played the second half and was chosen as best player of the match. After another good performance against Canada, Athenea was chosen as the best player of the tournament. She was selected for the Euro 2022 squad. She played in all three group stage matches, coming on as a substitute twice and then starting in the third game. In the 2-1 quarter-final loss against eventual champions England, she assisted Esther González's goal. Athenea made six appearances and…

Club

As of match played 31 May 2026

International

As of match played 7 March 2026

Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each del Castillo goal.

Spain

FIFA Women's World Cup: 2023 UEFA Women's Championship runner-up: 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League: 2023–24, 2025 Spain U19

UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship: 2018 Individual

Primera División Team of the Year: 2023–24 Liga F Player of the Month: January 2026