Natalia Arroyo

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Arroyo and the second or maternal family name is Clavell.

Natalia Arroyo Clavell (born 14 April 1986) is a professional football manager and former player who is the manager of Women's Super League club Aston Villa.^[2] Previously, she played professionally for FC Barcelona and also for Espanyol, retiring in 2009.^[3]

Natalia Arroyo

Personal information
Full name	Natalia Arroyo Clavell
Date of birth	(1986-04-14) 14 April 1986 (age 38)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Aston Villa Women (manager)
Youth career
1995–2006	FC Barcelona Femení
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
–2006	FC Barcelona Femení
2007–2009	RCD Espanyol Femení
Managerial career
2014–2019	Catalonia women[1]
2020–2024	Real Sociedad Femenino
2025–	Aston Villa Women
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

FC Barcelona Femení

Born in 1986, Natalia Arroyo came through the youth academy at FC Barcelona Femení in 1995 and played as a defender. She was part of the FC Barcelona team which won promotion to the Liga F in 2003–04.^[4]

RCD Espanyol Femení

Arroyo joined RCD Espanyol Femení in 2006 and played at the club for two seasons before injuries forced her to retire at the age of 22 in 2009.^[4]

Managerial career

Catalonia women

She became the manager of the Catalonia women's national football team in 2014 and she oversaw the team's defeat to the Basque Country during the Centenary Trophy in December 2015.^[5][6]

Real Sociedad Femenino

Arroyo was appointed as the manager of Liga F club Real Sociedad Femenino in 2020 and she helped the club to finish second during the 2021–22 Primera División,^[7] and in her final season at the club, they finished as runners-up in the 2023–24 Copa de la Reina de Fútbol.^[2][8]

Aston Villa

On 22 January 2025, Arroyo was appointed as the manager of Women's Super League club Aston Villa on a three-and-a-half year deal.^[2]

Honours

Player

FC Barcelona Femení

• Primera Nacional Femenina
  • Champions (1): 2003–04
  • Runners-up (1): 2001–02

Manager

Catalonia women

• Centenary Trophy
  • Runner-up: 2015

Real Sociedad Femenino

• Liga F
  • Runners-up (1): 2021–22

• Copa de la Reina de Fútbol
  • Runners-up (1): 2023–24

References

1. "Natalia Arroyo, nova entrenadora de la selecció catalana femenina". Ara.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 2018-04-06.
2. "Natalia Arroyo appointed new Women's head coach". Aston Villa F.C. 22 January 2025. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
3. "Natalia Arroyo | FC Barcelona". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
4. "Natalia Arroyo". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
5. "Empat a San Mamés" [Even at San Mamés] (in Catalan). Catalan Football Federation. 28 December 2014.
6. "Euskadi guanya a la festa del futbol feminí" [Basque wins the women's football festival] (in Catalan). Catalan Football Federation. 26 December 2015.
7. La Real empieza su historia europea [Real begins its European history], Aimara G. Gil, Diario AS, 20 September 2022 (in Spanish)
8. "Barcelona close in on quadruple with 8-0 Copa de la Reina triumph". ESPN. 18 May 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.