# Spain women's national basketball team

The Spain women's national basketball team (Spanish: Selección Española de Baloncesto Femenina) represents Spain in international women's basketball competition and are regulated by the Spanish Basketball Federation, the governing body for basketball in Spain. Spain has one of the most successful women's national teams in the world, being the current FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023 silver medallists.

## History

Spain women's basketball team played their first official game in Malgrat de Mar, Barcelona, against Switzerland on 16 June 1963, losing 31–40. They won their first game against the same team two days later, 47–39. It would take six years to play another international friendly game, losing to Cuba 50–70 on 28 September 1969.
Their first official games were in March 1970, trying to qualify for the 1970 EuroBasket, winning their first game against Switzerland 61–44 and losing to Hungary and France. The team qualified for their first major international tournament in their next attempt, the 1974 EuroBasket. After losing their three group stage games, they won their first game in a final tournament against Denmark in the placement matches, finishing in 12th position. Rosa Castillo is considered the best player from the mid-70s to the mid-80s.
Until 1985, Spain played most Eurobasket tournaments, usually finishing around 10th. An important year for the evolution of the team was the celebration on home soil of the 1987 EuroBasket, finishing on 6th position. The team entered their first Summer Olympics qualification in 1988, but failed to qualify. Their first Olympic games were also on home soil in the 1992 Summer Olympics, finishing 5th.
After failing to qualify for the two previous Eurobaskets and having never played a knockout game in a major tournament, the gold medal at the 1993 EuroBasket came as a surprise, beating the newly formed Slovakia in the semi-finals 73–55 and France in the final 63–53. With Blanca Ares as their key player (19 PPG), Spain undoubtedly took advantage of the dissolution of the dominant European teams of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and especially the Soviet Union.
The EuroBasket victory gave Spain the right to participate in the 1994 Women's World Cup for the first time, finishing 8th. Since then, the team has qualified for every World Cup -seven in a row-, winning three medals.
From 2001 up to 2009, Spain entered a loop of winning five consecutive medals in the Eurobaskets (1 silver, 4 bronze) and being eliminated in the quarterfinals in Summer Olympics and World Cups, until they finally won bronze in the 2010 Women's World Cup. From her debut in 1995 to her retirement in 2013, forward Amaya Valdemoro became the leader of the Spanish squad, taking part in 13 tournaments, playing 258 games, winning 7 medals and becoming the top scorer with 2,743 points.
The defeat against Croatia on 26 June in Katowice in the second stage of the 2011 EuroBasket and the consequent absence from the 2012 Olympics has been cited by coaches and players as a catalyst for a golden period of seven consecutive medals under coach Lucas Mondelo. After playing the qualification matches in the summer of 2012, Spain went on to win the 2013 EuroBasket with a balance of 9–0. Afterwards, they won silver in the 2014 Women's World Cup, bronze in the 2015 EuroBasket, silver in the 2016 Summer Olympics and gold again in the 2017 EuroBasket. Spain also won the bronze medal at the 2018 Women's World Cup held on home soil in September 2018. In July 2019 Spain successfully defended their European crown by beating France 86–66 in the final of the EuroBasket Women 2019. These seven successful tournaments came to a halt in the summer of 2021, when the team finished 7th in the 2021 EuroBasket played on home soil and 6th in the 2020 Olympic Games. These results are quite commendable, considering that Spain have only competed with the world elite for two decades. This series of results took the Spanish team to be ranked No. 2 in the ranking of FIBA. In the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023, despite a strong performance, they lost to Belgium in the final.
In the senior team for two decades (2002-2021) point guard Laia Palau is the record-holder for most caps (314) and most medals (12) in 19 final tournaments. In the team since 2008, forward Alba Torrens has been regarded as the most talented player of this generation, having won 9 medals in 12 tournaments.
At the Mediterranean Games, Spain won gold in 1991, and bronze in 1993, 2001 and 2005.

## Competition record

List of matches 2022–2024, including friendlies and scheduled matches :
| M | OPPONENT | F | A | +/- | TOP SCORER | PTS | EVENT | DATE | LOCATION |
| 778 | Serbia | | | | | | 2024 Olympics 1R | 2024.08.03 | Lille (FRA) |
| 777 | Puerto Rico | | | | | | 2024 Olympics 1R | 2024.07.31/ | Lille (FRA) |
| 776 | China | 90 | 89 | +1 | Megan Gustafson | 29 | 2024 Olympics 1R | 2024.07.28 | Lille (FRA) |
| 775 | Canada | 68 | 48 | +20 | Queralt Casas | 20 | 2024 Friendly | 2024.07.24 | Segovia |
| 774 | Australia | 66 | 75 | -9 | Leonor Rodríguez | 11 | 2024 Friendly | 2024.07.22 | Segovia |
| 773 | Canada | 61 | 48 | +13 | Alba Torrens | 11 | 2024 Friendly | 2024.07.13 | Charleroi (BEL) |
| 772 | Belgium | 58 | 76 | -18 | María Conde | 14 | 2024 Friendly | 2024.07.12 | Charleroi (BEL) |
| 771 | China | 70 | 46 | +24 | María Conde | 14 | 2024 Friendly | 2024.06.23 | Vigo |
| 770 | Turkey | 59 | 47 | +12 | María Conde | 11 | 2024 Friendly | 2024.06.21 | Vigo |
| 769 | Hungary | 73 | 72 | +1 | María Conde | 16 | 2024 Olympics qualification | 2024.02.11 | Sopron (HUN) |
| 768 | Canada | 60 | 55 | +5 | Megan Gustafson | 16 | 2024 Olympics qualification | 2024.02.09 | Sopron (HUN) |
| 767 | Japan | 75 | 86 | -11 | Raquel Carrera | 19 | 2024 Olympics qualification | 2024.02.08 | Sopron (HUN) |
| 766 | Austria | 75 | 34 | +41 | Paula Ginzo | 16 | 2025 EuroBasket qualification | 2023.11.12 | Tenerife |
| 765 | Croatia | 70 | 65 | +5 | María Conde | 12 | 2025 EuroBasket qualification | 2023.11.09 | Split (CRO) |
| 764 | Belgium | 58 | 64 | -6 | Queralt Casas | 14 | 2023 EuroBasket F | 2023.06.25 | Ljubljana (SLO) |
| 763 | Hungary | 69 | 60 | +9 | Alba Torrens | 27 | 2023 EuroBasket SF | 2023.06.24 | Ljubljana (SLO) |
| 762 | Germany | 67 | 42 | +25 | Laura Gil | 13 | 2023 EuroBasket QF | 2023.06.22 | Ljubljana (SLO) |
| 761 | Greece | 76 | 60 | +16 | Queralt Casas | 16 | 2023 EuroBasket 1R | 2023.06.18 | Tel-Aviv (ISR) |
| 760 | Montenegro | 78 | 57 | +21 | María Conde | 20 | 2023 EuroBasket 1R | 2023.06.16 | Tel-Aviv (ISR) |
| 759 | Latvia | 63 | 67 | -4 | Laura Gil | 20 | 2023 EuroBasket 1R | 2023.06.15 | Tel-Aviv (ISR) |
| 758 | Hungary | 65 | 77 | -12 | Leonor Rodríguez | 16 | 2023 Friendly | 2023.06.10 | Sopron (HUN) |
| 757 | Hungary | 65 | 63 | +2 | Alba Torrens | 23 | 2023 Friendly | 2023.06.09 | Sopron (HUN) |
| 756 | Belgium | 72 | 54 | +18 | Raquel Carrera | 14 | 2023 Friendly | 2023.06.04 | Córdoba |
| 755 | Turkey | 76 | 37 | +39 | María Conde | 12 | 2023 Friendly | 2023.06.02 | Córdoba |
| 754 | China | 76 | 60 | +16 | Raquel Carrera | 21 | 2023 Friendly | 2023.05.26 | Vigo |
| 753 | Italy | 55 | 44 | +11 | Paula Ginzo, Raquel Carrera | 10 | 2023 Friendly | 2023.05.25 | Vigo |
| 752 | Iceland | 88 | 34 | +54 | Paula Ginzo | 13 | 2023 EuroBasket qualification | 2023.02.12 | Reykjavík (ISL) |
| 751 | Romania | 75 | 32 | +43 | Ángela Salvadores | 14 | 2023 EuroBasket qualification | 2023.02.09 | Sfântu Gheorghe (ROM) |
| 750 | Hungary | 77 | 66 | +11 | Astou Ndour | 21 | 2023 EuroBasket qualification | 2022.11.27 | Huelva |
| 749 | Iceland | 120 | 54 | +66 | María Araújo | 19 | 2023 EuroBasket qualification | 2022.11.24 | Huelva |
| 748 | Italy | 54 | 46 | +8 | María Conde | 16 | 2022 Friendly | 2022.06.19 | Cividale del Friuli (ITA) |
| 747 | Slovenia | 60 | 56 | +4 | María Conde | 17 | 2022 Friendly | 2022.06.18 | Cividale del Friuli (ITA) |
| 746 | Belgium | 79 | 70 | +9 | Astou Ndour | 24 | 2022 Friendly | 2022.06.03 | Melilla |
| 745 | Italy | 60 | 49 | +11 | María Conde | 12 | 2022 Friendly | 2022.06.01 | Melilla |
| Olympic Games Olympic Games Qualifying Year Position Pld W L Pld W L 1976 Did not enter 1980 1984 1988 Did not qualify 5 2 3 1992 5th 5 3 2 1996 Did not qualify 2000 20046th 7 4 3 2008 5th 6 3 3 3 2 1 2012Did not qualify 2016 862 3 3 0 2020 6th 4 3 1 3 2 1 2024 5th 4 3 1 3 2 1 Total342212 17 11 6 FIBA Women's World Cup Women's World Cup Year Position Pld W L 1953N/A (Team did not exist) 1957 1959 1964 Did not enter 1967 1971 1975 Did not qualify 1979 1983 1986 1990 1994 8th 8 3 5 1998 5th 9 5 4 2002 5th 9 6 3 2006 8th 9 4 5 2010 9 7 2 2014 6 5 1 2018 7 5 2 2022Did not qualify 2026To be determined Total573522 | EuroBasket Women EuroBasket Women Qualification Year Position Pld W L Pld W L 1938 N/A (Team didn't exist) 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 Did not enter 1966 1968 1970 Did not qualify 3 1 2 1972 Did not enter 1974 12th 7 1 6 4 3 1 1976 10th 7 2 5 3 3 0 1978 11th 7 2 5 4 3 1 1980 10th 7 4 3 3 3 0 1981 Did not qualify 1983 11th 7 2 5 4 3 1 1985 10th 7 3 4 1987 6th 7 3 4 1989 Did not qualify 5 3 2 1991 5 3 2 1993 5 4 1 5 3 2 1995 9th 6 2 4 1997 5th 8 5 3 5 4 1 1999 Did not qualify 5 3 2 2001 8 5 3 6 6 0 2003 8 7 1 6 6 0 2005 8 5 3 2007 9 7 2 2009 9 8 1 2011 9th 6 3 3 2013 9 9 0 8 6 2 2015 10 9 1 2017 6 5 1 4 4 0 2019 6 6 0 6 6 0 2021 7th 6 3 3 2023 6 4 2 6 6 0 2025 Qualified 6 6 0 2027 To be determined Total1599960907416 |

## Team
### Current roster

Roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics. A 15-player roster was announced on 7 June 2024. The final roster was revealed on 9 July 2024.

### Individual records

* Bold denotes players still playing international basketball.
    As of 25 June 2023

#### Top highscorers

Top highscorers in official games (friendlies not included).
    As of 25 June 2023
| Players | PTS | Opponent | Event | Date | Location |
| Amaya Valdemoro | 39 | Lithuania | 2006 World Cup 2nd Round | 2006.09.18 | São Paulo (BRA) |
| Blanca Ares | 36 | Brazil | 1994 World Cup 2nd Round | 1994.06.10 | Sydney (AUS) |
| Amaya Valdemoro | 33 | Brazil | 2002 World Cup 2nd Round | 2002.09.19 | Suzhou (CHN) |
| Rosa Castillo | 32 | Belgium | 1976 EuroBasket Classification Round | 1976.05.25 | Ferrand Clermont (FRA) |
| Rosa Castillo | 32 | Finland | 1980 EuroBasket Classification Round | 1980.09.23 | Banjaluka (YUG) |
| Rosi Sánchez | 32 | China | 2002 World Cup Classification Round | 2002.09.25 | Nanjing (CHN) |
| Alba Torrens | 32 | China | 2016 Olympics 1st Round | 2016.08.10 | Rio (BRA) |
| Marina Ferragut | 31 | Latvia | 1999 EuroBasket qualification | 1998.05.15 | Daruvar (CRO) |
| Marta Xargay | 31 | Ukraine | 2019 EuroBasket 1st Round | 2019.06.27 | Riga (LAT) |
| Rocío Jiménez | 30 | England | 1978 EuroBasket qualification | 1978.03.23 | Wolfenbuttel (GER) |
| Marta Fernández | 30 | Romania | 2003 EuroBasket qualification | 2001.11.25 | Salamanca (ESP) |
| Amaya Valdemoro | 30 | China | 2004 Olympics 1st Round | 2004.08.16 | Athens (GRE) |
| Alba Torrens | 30 | Russia | 2013 EuroBasket 1st Round | 2013.06.15 | Vannes (FRA) |

#### Top medallists

Most medals won with the national team in Olympic Games, Women's World Cups and EuroBaskets:
| Player | Medals | Details |
| Laia Palau | 12 | Extended content 2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket 2007 EuroBasket 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket |
| Silvia Domínguez | 9 | Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket 2023 EuroBasket |
| Laura Nicholls | 9 | Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket |
| Alba Torrens | 9 | Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2023 EuroBasket |
| Anna Cruz | 8 | Extended content 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket |
| Laura Gil | 8 | Extended content 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket 2023 EuroBasket |
| Lucila Pascua | 8 | Extended content 2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket 2007 EuroBasket 2009 EuroBasket 2010 Women's World Cup 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics |

### Head coaches

Timeline of head coaches with games and results in final tournaments at the (EuroBasket, Women's World Cup and Olympics) (*) Results through 25 June 2023.
| Years | M | W | L | % | Name | Competition |
| 1963–1971 | 8 | 3 | 5 | .375 | Cholo Méndez | five friendlies, three qualifiers |
| 1974–1978 | 50 | 20 | 30 | .400 | Josep María Solà | 12th 1974 EuroBasket 10th 1976 EuroBasket 11th 1978 EuroBasket |
| 1979 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | Chema Buceta | three friendlies |
| 1979–1984 | 54 | 24 | 30 | .444 | María Planas | 10th 1980 EuroBasket 11th 1983 EuroBasket |
| 1985–1992 | 177 | 91 | 86 | .514 | Chema Buceta | 10th 1985 EuroBasket 6th 1987 EuroBasket 5th 1992 Summer Olympics |
| 1992–1998 | 98 | 65 | 33 | .663 | Manolo Coloma | 1993 EuroBasket 8th 1994 Women's World Cup 9th 1995 EuroBasket 5th 1997 EuroBasket 5th 1998 Women's World Cup |
| 1999–2004 | 79 | 66 | 13 | .835 | Vicente Rodríguez | 2001 EuroBasket 5th 2002 Women's World Cup 2003 EuroBasket 6th 2004 Summer Olympics |
| 2005–2006 | 33 | 23 | 10 | .697 | Domingo Díaz | 2005 EuroBasket 8th 2006 Women's World Cup |
| 2007–2009 | 53 | 39 | 14 | .736 | Evaristo Pérez | 2007 EuroBasket 5th 2008 Summer Olympics 2009 EuroBasket |
| 2010–2011 | 33 | 25 | 8 | .758 | José Ignacio Hernández | 2010 Women's World Cup 9th 2011 EuroBasket |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | Víctor Lapeña | two qualifiers |
| 2012–2021 | 152 | 127 | 25 | .836 | Lucas Mondelo | 2013 EuroBasket 2014 Women's World Cup 2015 EuroBasket 2016 Summer Olympics 2017 EuroBasket 2018 Women's World Cup 2019 EuroBasket 7th 2021 EuroBasket 6th 2020 Summer Olympics |
| 2021- | 22 | 19 | 3 | .864 | Miguel Méndez | 2023 EuroBasket |
    Assistant coach Víctor Lapeña was appointed as head coach for two 2017 EuroBasket qualifiers in November 2015

## Youth teams

| | Europe U-20 | World U-19 | Europe U-18 | World U-17 | Europe U-16 |
| 2024 | | | Q | | Q |
| 2023 | | | | | |
| 2022 | | | | | |
| 2021 | | 7th | | | |
| 2019 | 5th | | 5th | | |
| 2018 | | | | 6th | |
| 2017 | | 8th | 6th | | 5th |
| 2016 | | | | 6th | |
| 2015 | | 4th | | | 4th |
| 2014 | | | | | |
| 2013 | | 4th | | | |
| 2012 | | | 5th | | |
| 2011 | | | | | |
| 2010 | | | | 8th | 4th |
| 2009 | | | | | |
| 2008 | 4th | | 5th | | |
| 2007 | | 4th | | | |
| 2006 | 4th | | | | |
| 2005 | 8th | 5th | | | |
| 2004 | 9th | | | | |
| 2003 | | | | | 4th |
| 2002 | 5th | | 5th | | |
| 2001 | | DNQ | | | 7th |
| 2000 | 5th | | 6th | | |
| 1999 | | | | | |
| 1998 | | | | | |
| 1997 | | 8th | | | 5th |
| 1996 | | | 4th | | |
| 1995 | | | | | 4th |
| 1994 | | | | | |
| 1993 | | DNQ | | | |
| 1992 | | | 5th | | |
| 1991 | | | | | 9th |
| 1990 | | | | | |
| 1989 | | 5th | | | 4th |
| 1988 | | | 6th | | |
| 1987 | | | | | 9th |
| 1986 | | | 12th | | |
| 1985 | | 7th | | | 9th |
| 1984 | | | 4th | | 7th |
| 1983 | | | 8th | | |
| 1982 | | | | | 8th |
| 1981 | | | 9th | | |
| 1980 | | | | | 10th |
| 1979 | | | DNQ | | |
| 1978 | | | | | 11th |
| 1977 | | | 11th | | |
| 1976 | | | | | 10th |
| 1975 | | | 6th | | |
| 1973 | | | 8th | | |
| 1965–71 | | | DNQ | | |