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Daniela Arias

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Daniela Arias
Arias with the San Diego Wave in 2026
Personal information
Full name Daniela Alexandra Arias Rojas[1]
Date of birth (1994-08-31) 31 August 1994 (age 32)[2]
Place of birth Bucaramanga, Colombia[1]
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position Centre back[2]
Team information
Current team
 Club León
Number 3
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Atlético Bucaramanga
2019 Independiente Medellín
2020 Atlético Junior
2021 América de Cali 10 (0)
2022 Pachuca 23 (1)
2023 América de Cali 20 (3)
2024–2025 Corinthians 14 (0)
2025–2026 San Diego Wave 2 (0)
2026– Club León 0 (0)
International career
2018– Colombia 19 (3)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Colombia
CONMEBOL Women's Nations League
Gold medal – first place2025–26
Copa América Femenina
Runner-up2022 Colombia
Silver medal – second place2025 Ecuador
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place2019 LimaTeam
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 June 2026

Daniela Alexandra Arias Rojas (born 31 August 1994) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Liga MX Femenil side Club León and the Colombia national team.

Arias began her career with Atlético Bucaramanga in her home city and played for Independiente Medellín, Atlético Junior and América de Cali before moving abroad, first to Pachuca in Mexico and then, in 2024, to Corinthians, with whom she won the Copa Libertadores and the Campeonato Brasileiro in her first season and was named the Brazilian league's best defender. She later played for San Diego Wave in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) before joining León in 2026. A Colombia international since 2018, she won gold at the 2019 Pan American Games, started at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup as Colombia reached the quarter-finals, finished as a runner-up at the 2022 and 2025 Copa América Femenina, and captained a settled defence as Colombia won the first CONMEBOL Women's Nations League in 2026.

Early life

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Arias grew up in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of the Morrorrico sector of Bucaramanga, in Santander.[3][4] Her father, Luis Alberto Arias, played microfútbol, while her mother, Gladis Rojas, was at first reluctant to let her take up the game.[5] Arias began playing at the age of seven on a parking lot belonging to her uncle in Morrorrico, alongside cousins and other children from the neighbourhood, and was often left out of games by boys who did not want a girl in the side.[4][5]

At 16 she joined the Botín de Oro academy in Bucaramanga, where she trained under Alexander Uribe.[4][5] She took a series of jobs to support herself while she trained, working as a messenger, in a butcher's shop and in retail, and later with a Real Madrid foundation programme.[5]

Club career

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Atlético Bucaramanga

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Arias joined the senior squad of her home-city club Atlético Bucaramanga in 2017 and played for it across the 2017 and 2018 Liga Femenina seasons.[6][5]

Independiente Medellín and Junior

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She spent the 2019 season with Independiente Medellín and the 2020 season with Junior of Barranquilla.[6][7]

América de Cali

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Arias signed for América de Cali in 2021 and made ten league appearances in her first season, establishing herself as one of the division's leading defenders and earning a nomination for its defender of the year award.[8][7] She anchored the central defence as América played the 2020 Copa Libertadores, staged in Argentina in March 2021, and was named in CONMEBOL's team of the tournament.[9]

Pachuca

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On 23 December 2021, Liga MX Femenil club Pachuca announced Arias's signing for the Clausura portion of the 2022 season; she and the Argentine midfielder Ruth Bravo filled the club's two foreign-player places.[7] Arias made 23 appearances and scored once across the calendar year, and helped Pachuca reach the Clausura final, in which it finished as runners-up.[10]

Return to América de Cali

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Arias returned to América de Cali for 2023.[6] She started all four of the club's matches at the 2023 Copa Libertadores, held in Colombia, and was again named in CONMEBOL's team of the tournament.[11] América also reached the Liga Femenina final that year, losing 2–0 on aggregate to Independiente Santa Fe, with the deciding leg played at the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero.[12]

Corinthians

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On 6 January 2024, following her performances for Colombia at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Arias signed for Brazilian club Corinthians.[13] International duty delayed her debut until after the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.[14] She started the second leg of the Campeonato Brasileiro final on 22 September 2024, a 2–0 win over São Paulo that sealed a 5–1 aggregate victory and a sixth national title for the club.[15] The following month she helped Corinthians win a fifth Copa Libertadores title.[3] In December 2024 she was named the Bola de Prata winner as the Brazilian league's best centre back.[6]

Arias made 25 appearances in all competitions for Corinthians before leaving in 2025.[16] Her sale to the NWSL was reported as the third-highest outgoing transfer fee in Brazilian women's football, behind only those of Priscila and Tarciane.[17]

San Diego Wave

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Arias joined NWSL club San Diego Wave FC on 26 March 2025, signing a two-year deal with a mutual option.[18] She did not appear for more than five months, making her debut as a late substitute for Perle Morroni in a 3–0 defeat to the Houston Dash in September 2025.[19] She was an unused substitute as San Diego lost its play-off quarter-final to the Portland Thorns on 9 November.[20] Having not played in the first half of the 2026 season, she left the club by mutual contract termination in June 2026.[21]

Club León

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In July 2026, Arias returned to the Liga MX Femenil, joining Club León as a free agent; the club presented her on 23 July.[10][22]

International career

[edit]
Arias with Colombia in 2026

Arias was called up to the Colombia squad for the 2018 Copa América Femenina, at which Colombia finished fourth.[23][24] She was a member of the Colombia team that won the gold medal in the women's football tournament at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima.[2][24]

On 3 July 2022, Arias was named in the squad for the 2022 Copa América Femenina, held in Colombia, where the team finished as runners-up.[25] She was called up for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on 4 July 2023,[26] and started consistently as Colombia reached the quarter-finals, where it lost to the eventual runners-up England.[6][27]

Arias played at the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup,[28] and although knee trouble left her participation in doubt,[29] she was named on 5 July 2024 in the squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[30]

At the 2025 Copa América Femenina, Arias again helped Colombia reach the final, which Brazil won on penalties.[31][32] The following year she was part of the side that won the inaugural CONMEBOL Women's Nations League, sealed with a 4–3 win over Paraguay at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción on 10 June 2026; the result also secured Colombia automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.[33] Afterwards Arias said the squad had "made history" and dedicated the title to earlier generations of Colombian players.[33]

International goals

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No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.7 April 2023Stade Gabriel Montpied, Clermont-Ferrand, France France1–02–5Friendly

Personal life

[edit]

In 2019, Arias competed for the Santander team on the Colombian reality competition series Desafío Súper Regiones, broadcast by Caracol Televisión.[24][6]

Honours

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Corinthians

Colombia

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 Daniela Arias at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Football | Athlete Profile: ARIAS ROJAS Daniela Alexand". Pan American Games Lima 2019. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "La futbolista santandereana Daniela Arias se coronó como campeona de la Copa Libertadores Femenina". Alerta (in Spanish). 20 October 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Bustos Núñez, Sergio Iván (28 December 2024). "De Morrorrico al Corinthians: la inspiradora historia de la santandereana Daniela Arias". Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Bayona Flórez, María Lucía (13 January 2025). "Daniela Arias: una historia de amor por el fútbol". Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sacco, Guilherme; Cortopassi, Juliana (9 December 2024). "ESPN Bola de Prata Aposta Ganha: De reality show na Colômbia a 'xerifona' do Corinthians, Dani Arias leva como zagueira". ESPN.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "Pachuca contrató a la colombiana Daniela Arias para su equipo femenino en el torneo Clausura 2022". Infobae (in Spanish). 23 December 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "Pachuca Femenil; Quién es Daniela Arias, nueva jugadora de las Tuzas". Futbol Total (in Spanish). 27 November 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Libertadores Femenina 2021: equipo ideal de la Conmebol con tres jugadoras del América". Futbolred (in Spanish). 28 March 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Daniela Arias, seleccionada nacional colombiana, refuerza a Club León Femenil". El Sol de León (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  11. 1 2 "11 ideal de la Conmebol Copa Libertadores Femenina 2023: cuota FPC". Dimayor (in Spanish). 26 October 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "¡Dominio del 'león'! Así fue el balance de la Liga Femenina BetPlay 2023". Win Sports (in Spanish). December 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Corinthians anuncia zagueira como reforço de 2024; veja nome" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Meu Timão. 6 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Daniela Arias retorna após Copa Ouro e reforça preparação do Corinthians para o Brasileirão". Meu Timão (in Brazilian Portuguese). 12 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Corinthians vence São Paulo novamente e conquista hexa do Brasileirão feminino". Gazeta Esportiva (in Brazilian Portuguese). 22 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Corinthians oficializa saída da zagueira Dani Arias". Tudo Sobre Paulista (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "Terceira maior do Brasil! Corinthians acerta venda recorde de destaque do elenco para o futebol dos Estados Unidos". Antenados no Futebol (in Brazilian Portuguese). 27 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  18. ↑ Grueskin, Birgen (26 March 2025). "San Diego Wave FC Acquire Colombian Defender Daniela Arias". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  19. ↑ Grueskin, Birgen (8 September 2025). "San Diego Wave FC Falls 3-0 to Houston Dash on Alex Morgan Jersey Retirement Night". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  20. ↑ Grueskin, Birgen (9 November 2025). "San Diego Wave FC Eliminated in Extra Time by Portland Thorns in NWSL Quarterfinals". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  21. ↑ Grueskin, Birgen (23 June 2026). "San Diego Wave FC, Defender Daniela Arias Agrees to Mutual Contract Termination". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Daniela Arias regresa a la Liga MX Femenil: la santandereana fue anunciada como nueva jugadora en México". Vanguardia (in Spanish). 23 July 2026. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  23. ↑ "Conoce a las 22 convocadas para representar a la Selección de Colombia". cafemchile.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  24. 1 2 3 "Ella es Daniela Arias, la campeona con la selección Colombia de la Liga de Naciones que participó en el 'Desafío'". Infobae (in Spanish). 11 June 2026. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  25. ↑ "Convocatoria Selección Colombia Femenina de Mayores para CONMEBOL Copa América" [Call for Colombia Women's National Team for CONMEBOL Copa América] (in Spanish). Colombian Football Federation. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  26. ↑ "Convocatoria de la Selección Colombia Femenina" [Call for the Colombian Women's National Team] (in Spanish). Colombian Football Federation. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  27. ↑ Lima, Bruno; Gimenez, Jade (6 January 2024). "Por hegemonia no futebol feminino, Corinthians traz colombiana que disputou a Copa do Mundo". Trivela (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  28. ↑ "Convocatoria de la Selección Colombia Femenina de Mayores para la Copa de Oro 2024" [Call for the Colombian Senior Women's National Team for the 2024 Gold Cup] (in Spanish). Colombian Football Federation. 9 February 2024. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  29. ↑ "Zagueira do Corinthians é convocada para representar a Colômbia nos Jogos Olímpicos de Paris". Meu Timão (in Brazilian Portuguese). 5 July 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  30. ↑ "Convocatoria Selección Colombia Femenina Mayores para los Juegos Olímpicos de París 2024" [Call-up for the Colombian Women's Senior Team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games] (in Spanish). Federación Colombiana de Fútbol. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  31. ↑ Yamaoka, Juliana. "Colômbia avança na Copa América feminina e pode enfrentar o Brasil na final". Lance! (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  32. ↑ "Magical Marta inspires Brazil to continental glory". FIFA. 2 August 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  33. 1 2 3 "La santandereana Daniela Arias tras el título de Colombia: "Levantamos esta copa por nuestro país"". Vanguardia (in Spanish). 10 June 2026. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
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