Manoly Baquerizo to become first Ecuadorian woman to play in the Champions League

Manoly Baquerizo is set to become the first Ecuadorian footballer in history to play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The 27-year-old defender joined Paris FC for the current season and will face some of Europe’s biggest clubs in the competition’s league phase.

Paris FC will play six matches, three at home and three away. Its opponents are Arsenal, Häcken, HB Køge, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Servette. UEFA announced the draw but had not yet released the dates, times or order of the fixtures.

Baquerizo’s first official match for the French club is scheduled for September 6, against Nantes. Before the competitive season began, she played in a friendly against Bayern Munich, which Paris FC lost 2-0.

Born in Guayaquil, Baquerizo began her career with Talleres Emanuel in Ecuador’s Santa Elena province. She moved to the United States in 2015, attending Montverde Academy and later playing for Clayton State University from 2016 to 2019.

She moved to Spain in 2020, spending four seasons with Cacereño and scoring 18 goals in 80 matches. She later played for Deportivo Alavés, where she scored seven goals, and Granada, where she scored five and provided one assist, before moving to Paris FC.

Baquerizo has also become a leading figure for Ecuador. She is one of the national team’s captains and has made 41 appearances for the women’s side. She is expected to take part in Ecuador’s playoff for the 2027 World Cup, scheduled from November 24 to December 5, against Ghana, South Africa and Chinese Taipei.