Vero Boquete, Building Something Special at Como

Verónica Boquete, better known as Vero, has already shown Como what kind of captain she is. Composed, intelligent and driven, she has brought a championship mentality to the women’s team and a clarity of purpose that comes from years at the very top of the game.

She began her story in Spain playing with the boys’ teams until she was 15. Since then she became her country’s all-time leading goalscorer and won a Champions League and domestic titles in three countries. Her first pro steps took her to Zaragoza then to Espanyol, and then on a world tour passing by the United States with the Chicago stars, Utah Royals and Portland Thorns, stints in China, Sweden as well as Germany with Bayern Munich and France with PSG before landing in Italy playing for AC Milan and Fiorentina, and now Como.

She describes Serie B as unlike anything she has experienced before. “It’s not an easy championship,” she says. “We knew that the level isn’t the same as Serie A and perhaps the matches aren’t as intense, but the opponents play in a way that makes you have to always give your maximum and be very attentive.” The league demands a different kind of focus. “You have to be very attentive to set pieces and also some of the pitches in Serie B. You need to know if they’re small, if they’re big, if they’re good for playing many second balls. All of that also conditions our game.”

It is the kind of tactical awareness that has defined her career. She does not just play the game, she reads it. Her ability to adapt her approach based on the opponent, the pitch, the conditions speaks to a football intelligence that few possess. This is what separates good players from great ones, and great ones from legends.

The move to Como has given her a new challenge, one she has embraced fully. As captain she has taken on more than just wearing the armband. She is building a culture, establishing standards, creating something that will last beyond any single season. “As captain of Como, the feeling is of building something important, a new squad and a new staff, a new project for us,” she says. “We haven’t had much time to get to know each other, to create this group strength, but I think in a short time we’ve managed to be a strong team with a fixed mentality and also with a determined style of play.”

There is quiet satisfaction in her voice when she adds: “As captain, that also makes me feel a bit of pride in what we’re building.”

Much of her early impression has been shaped by her relationship with head coach Mazzantini, one of the few female coaches in the league. For Boquete, who has spent her entire career playing under male coaches, this represents something different. “Having her there close by, I think, gives extra strength because you want to do even a bit more. You have that relationship between women, sometimes you can also help her to do well,” she explains. “She’s a coach who likes to talk and is clear in her ideas, and we’re happy to have her with us.”

It is a partnership built on mutual respect and shared vision, the kind of relationship that defines successful teams. Mazzantini’s clarity and willingness to communicate openly creates an environment where players feel empowered to contribute, to take ownership, to lead. For a captain like Boquete, this collaborative approach allows her to bridge the gap between coaching staff and squad.

She has already delivered moments that matter. Her goal against Bologna came in a head-to-head clash with the team widely considered the main rival for the top of the table. Yet when asked about the season’s objectives, her response reveals the mentality that made her a champion.

“My personal objective is the objective of all of us, everyone who is here working, including the club,” she says. But she is quick to add a word of caution about tunnel vision. “If we focus only on Bologna, we can lose a bit of concentration every Sunday. For us, that’s the key to this season, to think that every Sunday there are three points at stake, the same whether it’s against Bologna, Freedom, or Frosinone. For us, it’s to concentrate on that and hope that in some games they drop points.”

It is a philosophy forged over decades at the top level. Championships are not won through obsessing over rivals but through relentless consistency and focus on the task at hand. Every match matters. Every point counts. The teams that succeed are the ones that treat each opponent with equal respect, that bring the same intensity to every fixture. Boquete has learned this lesson many times over in her storied career, and now she is imparting that wisdom to her Como teammates.

She knows what it means to score but she also knows that collective ambition is what drives a club forward. Her role extends beyond goals and assists. Young players watch how she prepares, how she communicates, how she handles pressure. They see a living example of what professionalism looks like, what dedication means, what it takes to compete at the highest level for nearly two decades.

Off the pitch she has been settling into life at Como. The beauty of the lake, the rhythm of the town, the culture of the club have all made the transition smooth. For someone who has played across Europe and the United States, Como offers something unique. It is a place where ambition meets tradition, where a serious project unfolds against a backdrop of timeless elegance.

There are personal details too. She has long been an advocate for women’s football, petitioning to get female players included in EA FC and using her platform to push for greater recognition of the sport. She carries herself with the assurance of someone who has broken barriers and opened doors for those who follow.

Her goals have already carried weight in Como’s season including two stunning freekick goals against Bologna and Freedom respectively and her character has made her a natural fit for the squad. She plays with intelligence, speaks with clarity, and leads with the authority of someone who has won at every level.

Vero Boquete could have retired with her legacy secure, her name etched in Spanish football history forever. Instead, she chose Como. She chose to build something new, to lead a young team, to chase one more meaningful challenge. For a player who has spent her career breaking barriers and pioneering women’s football, it is perhaps the most fitting chapter yet.