In Poland, where Spain’s under-20 side has moved into the sharp end of the World Cup, Celia Segura is turning a youth tournament into a statement of intent. The 19-year-old forward from Badalona has brought goals, movement and invention to Spain’s attack, and her next test comes against Brazil in the quarter-finals.
Celia Segura’s Polish World Cup surge puts Atlético loanee in focus
Segura became the first Spanish player to score four times in a single match at an Under-20 World Cup when Spain faced New Caledonia in the group stage. Her four-goal display earned her player-of-the-match recognition and made her one of the tournament’s most conspicuous attacking figures.
Spain then sealed progress with a 2-0 victory over Portugal, Marisa and Alba Cerrato providing the goals. Segura did not score in that match, but again offered signs of the qualities that have marked her rise: she can link play, draw defenders away from teammates and find inventive solutions around the penalty area. Against China, she also supplied Pau Comendador with a back-heel assist.
The striker’s emergence has not arrived from nowhere. Before joining Barcelona’s academy, Segura began in futsal after an earlier spell practising karate. She was persistent enough to persuade her family that football should become her priority, and the game quickly rewarded that decision. At 12, she scored 121 goals across one season for Barcelona’s youth teams.
Her progress through La Masia brought a Barcelona B debut at only 15. Last season she made 23 appearances for the reserve side, starting 21 of them and scoring 10 times as the team competed in Primera Federación. This summer, Atlético Madrid agreed a loan deal with Barcelona for the 2026-27 campaign, offering Segura a different environment and a chance to pursue regular senior opportunities.
Internationally, Poland is another chapter rather than a first breakthrough. Segura helped Spain win the Under-19 European Championship last season, while her Under-17 World Cup in 2024 ended with individual recognition despite Spain losing the final to North Korea. She scored in that final and finished the competition with the Bronze Ball and the Golden Boot.
Lionel Messi and Alex Morgan have been among the players she has admired, while Claudia Pina’s journey from Barcelona’s academy has also provided a domestic reference point. Segura now has the opportunity to shape her own route. If Spain can overcome Brazil and keep advancing in Poland, the forward will have a further platform before returning to Atlético for the next stage of her club career.
For Spain, the ambition is to regain the Under-20 world title. For Segura, a tournament already illuminated by four goals may yet become the clearest proof that one of Barcelona’s most productive academy forwards is ready to make her mark at the highest level.
SEO Title: Celia Segura shines for Spain at Under-20 World Cup in Poland
SEO Description: Spain forward Celia Segura has scored four goals at the Under-20 World Cup in Poland as La Rojita prepare to face Brazil in the quarter-finals.
