Lena Price developing her football with top team in Spain

The dream of becoming a professional football player is edging toward reality for 14-year-old Lena Price, who has earned a development spot with Villarreal Club de Fútbol in Spain.

On her own initiative, Price applied and was accepted over hundreds of other applicants to Villarreal’s world renowned player development program, making her the first Caymanian to do so.

Since her signing in January, she has been training and playing with the club – an experience she said is unlike anything she has ever had in the sport.

“It’s definitely a higher standard,” Price told the Compass. “The play moves faster, the teammates are more engaged because you all want the same thing. We all want to be professionals.”

Price, the granddaughter of John Rea, former Cayman Islands national football team captain, has played many sports throughout her young life, but football has always been her favourite.

“He definitely got me into football,” Price said.

She said playing football growing up proved to be difficult but noted that she worked through tough times within the sport and her diligence is now paying off.

“Growing up, I was never one of the best on the team,” she said, adding that other players would make remarks and question her abilities as a female in the sport.

“A lot of times people would tell me that I’m not good enough, but that just made me want it more.

“All the practice helped, the dedication. I played on a boys team, I played with under 15s, and under 17s. No one really paid attention to how much I was doing, but within a year I started to catch up to everyone.”

Now, playing with top-tier athletes in her age group, the right wing striker, who played with 345 FC in Cayman, looks to continue working towards her dream in Spain.

“It’s about improving,” she said. “I want to become the best that I can be at the age that I am at and from that, just make the best of the next opportunity.”

Wanting to give back

While her long-term goal is to play for Liverpool FC, she said another priority on her list is to help get the Cayman national girls’/women’s teams rank up and succeed.

“When I finish my journey in Spain, when I get back, I want to be attending all the practices and hopefully I can bring something else to Cayman’s team,” Price said. “They are definitely great players [in Cayman] and I think they should be recognised.”

One player who shares Price’s commitment to giving back, is Caymanian Molly Kehoe, who is currently with Cardiff City and is one of the team’s key players.

Price said she takes inspiration watching Kehoe compete at such a high level while also prioritising playing for Cayman.

“I think that Molly is the standard for the Cayman team and she has definitely brought a lot. When she plays, you just know that she is there, she is incredible, she is where everyone wants to be.”

Price will continue her developmental contract with Villarreal for several months. She thanked everyone who made it possible for her to follow her dreams, especially her PE teacher at Cayman Prep, Phil Thompson.