Lolita Ortiz

Having played in the first ever game for Barça Women, Lolita Ortiz (Barcelona 1944) was the team capitán for ten years from 1971 until she retired in 1981. Small in stature, but with an indomitable spirit, her raids from the wing have gone down in folklore
09:54AM Monday 25 Dec (GMT)

Pioneer Lolita will always remember her debut for Barça Femenino, that Christmas in 1970 at the Camp Nou, as she stood with her daughter Arantxa for the team photo. She would go on to be one of the game's best players that day, wowing the public with her outstanding dribbling.

Lolita Ortiz played for the Peña Femenina Barcelonista (the original name for Barça Women) from 1970-1981. She played as both centre forward and right winger. Small in stature but very brave, she loved going in for a challenge. She sometimes dragged the opponent's defenders away to make space for Neus Gallofré to shoot. Her courage and character led to Antoni Ramallets naming her as captain in June 1971 after the early retirement of founder Immaculada Cabecerán.

During those groundbreaking days of the women's team, the players trained on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the sports area of Camp Nou. Lolita got up early to take Arantxa to school before heading off for training. Football was only amateur at that time, so we worked as a receptionist in a doctor's office in the afternoons.

In 1981 Lolita Ortiz has to stop playing football due to a serious knee injury (a meniscus tear and a torn anterior cruciate ligament). As she wasn't making a living from football, Doctor González Adrio informed her that was no need to have an operation and that she could go on to live a normal life after football. Just a few months earlier women's football had officially been included under the umbrella of the Spanish Football Federation.

Career

  • Seasons at the Club: 1970-81
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