Mariona Caldentey: No Bad Blood With Arsenal After Euro Final Heartbreak

Mariona Caldentey said there is "no bad blood" with her Arsenal teammates following Spain's defeat in the European Championship final, insisting she is focused on club ambitions after a summer that brought both personal accolades and national disappointment.

The 29-year-old midfielder opened the scoring in the final but missed a penalty as Spain lost to England in a shootout. Caldentey, who helped Arsenal win the UEFA Women's Champions League in May, returned to north London determined to shift attention to the domestic season and to continue building on last season's successes.

"It was sad, of course," Caldentey said of the Euros. "We (Spain) had a great Euros and were so close. We only lost in the final on penalties. We’d never reached a semi-final or final before, so it was already an achievement to get to that stage but of course when you are there, the goal is to win." She added that England were "more ruthless" at the decisive moments but that relations with her Arsenal colleagues remain positive: "Coming back here to Arsenal was fine though – we respect each other. I congratulated them, they congratulated me for the Euros. Now we are in the same team and we are fighting for the same goals again. I’m happy for them."

Caldentey moved to Arsenal from Barcelona last summer and was a central figure in the Gunners' run to European club silverware, scoring seven goals in the Champions League — placing her among the competition's top scorers — and helping the club lift the trophy for the first time in 18 years after victories over Real Madrid, Lyon and Barcelona. Her first season in England produced 19 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions and earned her a Ballon d'Or nomination and the PFA Women's Player of the Year award.

The transition to life in England was not immediate. Caldentey said Arsenal's slow start under former head coach Jonas Eidevall and the practical difficulties of settling in a new country made the early months challenging. "The start of last season was hard," she said. "I think it was the moment that I struggled the most because, for weeks, we couldn’t win or we couldn’t get the results that we wanted. That was a challenge because I came from a club where we won every week." Language barriers and off-field adjustments — a new home, a new car and other logistics — also added to the strain before she began to feel comfortable on and off the pitch.

Caldentey credited the team environment and the approach of head coach Renée Slegers for helping Arsenal recover. Slegers, who was appointed weeks after Caldentey's arrival and is seven years older than the midfielder, has fostered an open environment, Caldentey said. "Maybe because she’s not that experienced, she’s really open, asking a lot of questions, speaks a lot," Caldentey said. "That creates a good environment between the players and the coach. We feel her confidence, and I hope she feels ours."

The Spain international framed individual awards as motivation rather than an endpoint. "They motivate me to improve and help the team," she said of her PFA prize. "I want to win as many trophies as possible with the team. If individuals do well, the team does better – and when the team is better, we feel better individually. You can’t separate that in football."

Looking ahead to the WSL season, Caldentey said Arsenal want to challenge domestic rivals and become more consistent. She praised Chelsea as a benchmark and said Arsenal aim to narrow the gap. "Chelsea have been amazing and consistent for years, but of course we want to change that," she said. "Winning a big trophy last year gave us confidence that we can be even more consistent than them. We have the squad to compete with them, even knowing they’re a great team with a great coach. In football, anything can happen and we will try to bring the trophy here."

Caldentey's recent months have been marked by extremes: European club triumph in May, the personal recognition of major awards, and the agony of a missed penalty on the international stage. She emphasized the fast-moving nature of the sport as a balm. "Football goes so quickly. Good or bad, the next day you have another opportunity and another chance to start again," she said.

Off the field, Caldentey said she is enjoying aspects of London life despite missing Spanish sun and cuisine. "I always mention two things I miss from Spain: the sun and the food. I always ask visitors to bring me jamon from home," she said, noting Arsenal's club chef has helped her settle. As Arsenal begin the new campaign, Caldentey remains focused on converting the momentum from last season into further trophies for club and, when the international calendar allows, a return to major tournament success with Spain.