From being a bit-part player in the team that won the Women's World Cup two years ago, Athenea del Castillo has performed a key role in Spain's run to the semi-finals of Euro 2025, in which they will face Germany on Wednesday.
The Real Madrid attacker, 24, was brought into Spain's starting line-up for their last group game against Italy and scored an early equaliser before her team went on to win 3-1.
She was then relegated back to the bench for the last-eight tie against hosts Switzerland in Bern but the game changed after her introduction as a substitute just past the hour mark.
Del Castillo replaced Mariona Caldentey and broke the deadlock four minutes later, setting Spain up for a 2-0 victory -- and surely giving coach Montse Tome a selection headache for the clash with Germany in Zurich.
"I have to just focus on the things that I can influence. Luckily I am managing to help the team whatever my role is, whether I am starting or not," Del Castillo told AFP at the Spanish team's base in Lausanne.
A win for Spain against Germany will keep them on track to add a first ever European crown to the World Cup they won in 2023, when they defeated England in the final.
"We are full of hope, we are so excited. We dream of being European champions but to do that we need to win on Wednesday so all our energy is going into that game," Del Castillo said.
"We know all about the potential in the Germany team. They are a great side who have been European champions eight times after all."
Spain still lean heavily on the players who won them the World Cup, notably Ballon d'Or Aitana Bonmati as well as her fellow Barcelona stars Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes.
But Del Castillo, while not yet a guaranteed starter, has become a more important player than during that tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Then, under previous coach Jorge Vilda, she started the team's first match before gradually disappearing from circulation.
She then featured in the side that participated in the 2024 Olympics and lost to Germany in the bronze medal match -- a defeat they will seek to avenge on Wednesday.
