Rebeca Bernal

Rebeca Bernal Rodríguez (born 31 August 1997), is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre back for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and captains the Mexico women's national team.

Rebeca Bernal

Bernal playing for Mexico against the United States on May 26, 2019
Personal information
Full name	Rebeca Bernal Rodríguez[1]
Date of birth	(1997-08-31) 31 August 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Team information
Current team	Washington Spirit
Number	4
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2025	Monterrey	274	(66)
2025–	Washington Spirit	8	(0)
International career‡
2014–2015	Mexico U-17
2015–2016	Mexico U-20
2016–	Mexico	65	(7)
Medal record Women's football Representing  Mexico Pan American Games 2023 Santiago Team Central American and Caribbean Games 2023 San Salvador
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 February 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 February 2025

Early life

Bernal joined Escuela de Futbol Cruz Azul in Ciudad Madero, where she was the only girl, around the age of seven.^[2] When she was 14, she moved to Monterrey to study psychology at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.^[3]

Club career

Bernal joined CF Monterrey at the formation of Liga MX Femenil in the Apertura 2017.^[2]

She joined NWSL club Washington Spirit on 25 February 2025, signing a three-year deal in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee.^[4] She won a trophy on her debut for the Spirit on 7 March, defeating the Orlando Pride on penalties in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup. Bernal converted her penalty kick in the shootout.^[5]

International career

Bernal played for Mexico at youth level at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She made her senior debut on 8 July 2017, starting in a 1–0 friendly loss to Sweden.^[6][7]

Bernal was selected to represent Mexico at the 2023 Pan American Games held in Santiago, Chile, where the Mexican squad went undefeated to won the gold medal for the first time in their history at the Pan American Games, defeating Chile 1–0. Bernal scored Mexico's winning goal.^[8][9]

International career

As of match played 8 April 2025^[10]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Mexico	2017	1	0
	2018	6	0
	2020	1	0
	2021	11	1
	2022	8	2
	2023	11	2
	2024	14	2
	2025	2	1
Total		45	8

International goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	20 February 2021	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico	Costa Rica	3–1	3–1	Friendly
2.	17 February 2022	Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico	Suriname	6–0	9–0	2022 CONCACAF W Championship qualification
3.	20 February 2022	Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, Santo Domingo Dominican Republic	Antigua and Barbuda	2–0	8–0
4.	25 October 2023	Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile	Chile	1–1	3–1	2023 Pan American Games
5.	3 November 2023	Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander, Valparaíso, Chile	Chile	1–0	1–0
6.	23 February 2024	Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, United States	Dominican Republic	5–0	8–0	2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup
7.	30 November 2024	Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo, Cancún, Mexico	Costa Rica	3–1	4–1	Friendly
8.	5 April 2025	CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, United States	Jamaica	3–0	3–0

Honors

Mexico U17

• CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship: 2013

Individual

• CONCACAF W Gold Cup Best XI: 2024^[11]

Club

Washington Spirit

• NWSL Challenge Cup: 2025^[5]