Pau Comendador chases the Golden Boot in the World Cup final

In the U-20 World Cup final, played this Sunday in Poland, Pau Comendador arrives as the tournament's top scorer with six goals, ready to face North Korea again and chase the coveted Golden Boot after a brilliant trajectory.

A past marked by defeat

Two years ago, at the U-17 World Cup held in the Dominican Republic, the Spanish attack suffered a painful defeat. Pau Comendador missed a penalty in the shootout that handed the title to North Korea. The penalty shootout ended with North Korea's victory, leaving Spain out of the tournament.

An opportunity to redeem herself now arises, two years later, with the same rivalry. Pau had been awarded the U-17 Golden Boot for scoring five goals and also received the Silver Ball. Now, the young Madrilenian faces North Korea again, but with the intention of changing the script.

The young Madrilenian's journey

Pau was born in Madrid on January 12, 2007 and started playing football at eight years old, when a Madrid CFF player discovered her near her home. After being incorporated into the club, she spent seven years training in its youth categories. In 2021, at fourteen, she moved to Real Madrid, where she continued her development. Her stint at Madrid CFF allowed her to develop a technical foundation that caught Real Madrid's attention.

With Real Madrid, Pau won the league in all the academy categories: Cadet, Juvenile and Real Madrid B. Moreover, she won the league with each of those categories, consolidating her youth trophy cabinet. She debuted with the first team at sixteen, establishing a virtually flawless career.

A rising Spanish generation

In the U-20 World Cup, Pau has scored six goals in four matches, becoming the tournament's top scorer. She netted a brace against New Caledonia, another against China, and also found the net against Brazil and Italy. The brace against New Caledonia marked her first warning in the tournament, and the goals against China reinforced her status as an offensive reference.

Her ability to attack spaces, her speed and her ease of finishing have placed her as one of the undisputed protagonists of the Spanish national team. In the semifinals, against Italy, she scored again, sealing the 0‑2 victory that took Spain to the final. With that performance, Spain secured its place in the final, demonstrating the depth of Spanish women's talent.

Spain has established itself in the elite of the youth categories, with European and world titles at U-17, U-19 and U-20 in recent years. Players such as Celia Segura, Alba Cerrato, Marisa García and Daniela Agote accompany Pau in this generation that moves from one category to another wearing the red jersey. The recent successes underline the health of grassroots women's football in Spain, with a continuity of talent that feeds the senior national team.

This Sunday, the final in Poland offers Pau the chance to turn that painful memory into a brilliant page of her career. With the Golden Boot within reach and revenge against North Korea, the young Madrilenian writes a new story in women's football. If she manages to lift the Golden Boot, she will complete a trajectory that began with the U-17 Golden Boot and will cement her legacy.