Mapi León

Prainsa Zaragoza (2011–2013)

After developing with their B team for two years, León debuted in the Primera División with Prainsa Zaragoza when she was 16. Her match debut with Zaragoza was against Barcelona. In 2013, Zaragoza made it to the final of the Copa de la Reina, where they faced León's future club FC Barcelona. In her last ever match with the club, León started the final as Zaragoza lost 4–0 to Barcelona, who completed their first domestic double. Also in 2013, León was recognised for the first time as one of the most promising young footballers in Spain by being named to the "Golden 11" of Futbol Draft, a recognition she would earn two more times in her career.

Espanyol (2013–2014)

At 18, León joined RCD Espanyol in 2013, where she remained for only one season. She won the first trophy of her career when Espanyol outlasted FC Barcelona to win the Copa Catalunya. Around this time, she began getting call-ups with the senior national team. In addition, she attracted the attention of Atlético Madrid, who finished 3rd in the league in the 2012–13 league season.

Atlético Madrid (2014–2017)

In 2014, León joined Atlético Madrid. In her first season at the club, Atlético finished in second place in the league behind Barcelona, prompting both Atlético and León's debut in the UEFA Women's Champions League. In 2015, León debuted in the UWCL against Russian side Zorky Krasnogorsk, where they were defeated 2–0 in the first leg. Atlético later came…

León's debut with Spain's senior team came about on 15 September 2016, coming on as a substitute during Spain's UEFA Euro 2017 qualifying 13–0 win against Montenegro, the second to last match of European Qualifying. In 2017, León was called up to her first major tournament with Spain, the 2017 Euro. Spain advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament where they were defeated by Austria on penalties. León captained Spain for the first time at the 2019 Algarve Cup. León started all of Spain's matches at the 2019 FIFA World Cup as they made it to the Round of 16, where they faced the United States. In the 7th minute, she conceded a penalty after making contact with Tobin Heath in the box, which Megan Rapinoe scored to put the USA 1–0 up. The match ended 2–1 in favour of the United States as Spain exited the tournament. In 2021, Spain played in a 3–0 win against Poland in UEFA Euro 2022 qualifying, where León scored for the first time in her career with the Spain national team. The same match, she wore her mother's maiden name Cebrián on her shirt. The following year in July, León participated in the 2022 Euro, where Spain were eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champions England. In September, León joined 14 of her teammates in abstaining from national team call-ups, a decision that arose from a conflict between the 15 players and Spain's coach, Jorge Vilda. The group, dubbed Las 15 by Spanish media, later posted a joint statement that explained their decision to…

León is a versatile left-footed defender, possessing the ability to play as both a left-back and a centre-back. She is mostly utilised as a ball-playing centre-back, with her main characteristics as a player being her quality technique and passing. FIFA profiles her as an aggressive player with good reactions and reading of the game. Former Atletico Madrid manager Ángel Villacampa, who aided her transition from left-back to centre-back, has described León as having the perfect connection to Barcelona’s style, with her ability to distribute the ball up the pitch and her preference for playing in a high block.

María Pilar León Cebrián was born 13 June 1995, to parents Javier and Pilar. León was raised with an older brother in La Almozara, a district of Zaragoza. León started playing volleyball at age seven, and played many other sports as a child including baseball. Later she started playing futsal for local team Gran Vía, where she played as a winger. Around this age, she was granted a scholarship to go to an art school, but turned down the award to focus on football. León was discovered by David Magaña, a former Zaragoza CFF sporting director, who noticed her and her brother Javi playing football while shopping in a Carrefour supermarket. She began training with the club at age 11.