Karen Araya
Karen Araya
Karen Andrea Araya Ponce is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder. She has represented the Chile national team.
Karen Araya
Early childhood start
As a child, she played all kinds of sports with her brothers – from basketball and volleyball to football.
Karen Araya
Played with boys
She was so talented that her brother’s friends once stopped letting her join their football games – not because she was a girl, but because she was too good for them.
Karen Araya
Family connections
Her younger brother, Bernardo Araya, is a professional futsal player who captains the Chilean national futsal team.
Karen Araya
National team moments
In addition to 11-a-side football, she has also represented Chile in futsal, playing at the 2015 Copa América Femenina de Futsal.
Karen Araya
National team moments
She scored Chile’s first-ever goal in an Olympic women’s football tournament, converting a penalty against Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Games (held in 2021).
Karen Araya
Personal nickname
Fans nicknamed her “Motorcito” (“little motor”) for her tireless engine in midfield.
Karen Araya
Career goals & milestones
She didn’t receive a pro salary until age 27. In 2018 she joined Brazil’s Audax, her first paid contract – roughly “1% of what male players earn” at the time.
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