Vanesa Gimbert, the doyenne of the Primera Iberdrola

Vanesa Gimbert (19-04-80) has just turned 40. The center-back from Bergara is the only footballer currently playing in the Primera Iberdrola at her age. Alicia Fuentes did it last year and now she is continuing her career in the Reto Iberdrola, allowing the red-and-white defender to take her place as the most veteran player in the elite league. Fuentes and Gimbert happened to play together, among others, in the Spanish National Team in 1997, the year the side made their debut in the Women’s Euro. Vanesa, who was then 17, has evolved at the same time as women’s football. The player from Gipuzkoa witnessed the evolution of female football first-hand, from its most amateur level to the most professional, the one we can enjoy nowadays. Lots of hours, plenty of kilometers, victories, defeats, a staggering 12 titles and a wide knowledge, those are the things Gimbert has accumulated in these 21 years.

An enviable title collection

Before arriving in Córdoba, Vanesa had her first contact with a ball in Bergara, her hometown. Later, her family had to move to Andalusia and she started playing in Montilla when she was 14. From there she made her jump to Levante, one of the most powerful teams at the time. As a matter of fact, Gimbert won two leagues, three Copas, and 2 Supercopas with the Valencian side (1999-2003) and played in the Women’s Champions League. Athletic Club Women’s team, where she and her success would later move into, had been recently founded at that time. In the following campaigns, the defender kept adding to her tally of titles. After a year in CFF Estudiantes in Huelva (2003-2004), she spent some years in Sevilla FC (2004-2007) and in Rayo Vallecano (2007-2010), where he clinched two leagues and one Copa titles. From the capital, she moved to Barcelona. Gimbert played for RCD Espanyol during three seasons (2010-2013), and added another Copa to her collection.

A reference point at Lezama

It was not until September 2013 that Vanesa signed for Athletic Club, managed by Juan Luis Fuentes. She is the oldest player to have made a debut as a lioness at the age of 33 years, 4 months and 19 days, in a derby won over Real Sociedad at Lezama. For the duration of her first seasons at Lezama, Vanesa occupied the central-midfield position, always wearing the number “21” on her back. During the 2015-16 seasons, the Red and Whites clinched their fifth league title, which is the fifth one Gimbert has won in her successful career as well.

If there is something the player from Bergara can be distinguished for is her regularity and professionality. Gimbert helds the record of playing 86 consecutive full matches in the first team. She managed to do it partly because of all the minutes she had played in the league and Copa de la Reina during the 17-18 and 18-19 seasons. Having only being in the club for 7 seasons, she occupies the 13^th position in the historical ranking of the most games played.

Last January, Vanesa Gimbert passed the 200 matches milestone as a red-and-white player (205). She is the only footballer in the history of Athletic Club Women’s football to have reached the age of 40 on the pitch. She is one of the captains and a reference point for the youngest players, those who were born two decades after her: Oihane, Amaiur, Valdezate, Nevado…