Vanesa Gimbert

Vanesa Gimbert Acosta (born 19 April 1980) is a Spanish football midfielder, currently playing for Athletic Bilbao in Spain's Primera División.

Vanesa Gimbert

Gimbert with Espanyol in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Vanesa Gimbert Acosta
Date of birth	(1980-04-19) 19 April 1980
Place of birth	Bergara, Basque Country, Spain
Height	168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team	Athletic Bilbao
Number	21
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1994–1999	Mondelia Montilla
1999–2003	Levante UD
2003–2004	Estudiantes Huelva
2004–2007	Sevilla	24+	(9+)
2007–2010	Rayo Vallecano	61	(13)
2010–2013	Espanyol	88	(6)
2013–	Athletic Bilbao	220	(37)
National team
1997–2010	Spain
2012–	Basque Country	5	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 October 2021

Born in the Basque Country and raised partly in Andalusia, she previously played for RCD Espanyol,[1] Levante UD, CFF Estudiantes, Sevilla FC and Rayo Vallecano.[2] She won four league titles with Levante and Rayo (coming close to another with Sevilla)[3] and five Copas de la Reina between her spells at those two clubs and Espanyol.

In 2016, 36-year-old Gimbert won the league title with Athletic, then agreed to remain with the club for another year.[4] Five years later (now aged 41, the oldest active player in the country) she was still playing regularly, including scoring both goals in a victory over Santa Teresa[5] and agreed a further one-year contract in the summer of 2021.[6]

Gimbert was a member of the Spain women's national football team from a young age, taking part at 17 in the 1997 European Championship.[7] She was the team's captain in the 2009 European Championship qualifying.[8]