Livewire Sampedro introduces Spain squad

1 Dolores Gallardo (Sporting de Huelva)
What can I say about a player who won the golden glove at the [2010 FIFA] U-17 [Women's] World Cup? She's a really complete goalkeeper. She's got good reflexes, pulls off quality saves, blocks well and is excellent with her feet. As well as being a great keeper she's a great friend and very important to the squad, I can't put into words what a fantastic personality she has.

2 Idaira Rodriguez (UD L'Estartit)
Idaira is a player who made her national-team debut at this tournament and is fitting in to the squad incredibly well. She's having a really good competition, has made the left-back slot her own and I think she thoroughly deserves all the playing time she's getting.

3 Paula López (Club Atlético de Madrid)
Paula is a young player with a great future, who plays alongside me for Atlético. She's very strong, a tough defender and is providing plenty of competition for our two first-choice centre-backs.

4 Ivana Andrés (Valencia CFF)
First of all I'd like to wish Ivana many happy returns because it's her [18th] birthday today! She's one of our first-choice centre-backs and is a really great player despite being so young. She's really solid defensively and I think she'll go on to be one of the best players in the world in her position, while she has an excellent understanding in the centre of defence with Andrea Pereira.

5 Andrea Pereira (RCD Espanyol de Barcelona)
She works really well with Ivana; the pair of them complement each other perfectly. She's a year older than Ivana and is another with a big future ahead of her. She's a great defender, is very good at bringing the ball out from the back and is attracting a lot of interest in the football world.

6 Nagore Calderón (Club Atlético de Madrid)
Nagore plays with me for Atléti and we've got a brilliant understanding. She's the kind of player you always try to find whenever you lift your head up, because she's always there to give you an option and you know she'll give you the perfect return pass to get a shot off at goal. She's a great friend and a great person, on and off the pitch.

7 Gema Gili (Valencia CFF)
She has a big future ahead of her. She's got tremendous footballing quality and is one of those players in the middle of the park that is able to get her foot on the ball, slow the tempo down and is the kind of midfielder that every national or club team should have.

8 Marina García (SP Comarcas Llanos de Olivenza)
Marina also plays in midfield, and was also born in '94. She could go on to be one of the best players in the country. She's small in stature but has a really big future. That said, I'm sure she wouldn't say no to being a bit taller!

9 Raquel Pinel (Valencia CFF)
She's a top-class striker and always looks likely to score goals. As she proved in the semi-finals, she's one of those players you can rely on to get you late, decisive strikes. I think she really deserved to get the winner against Portugal and fingers crossed she can get on the scoresheet again when we play Sweden.

10 Amanda Sampedro (Club Atlético de Madrid)
I don't like to talk about myself much, but I will say I'm very demanding – I always want more from myself out on the pitch. I really hope to play well in the final and give everything the team needs from me to win. And if I could get a goal and dedicate it to my family, that'd be the icing on the cake.

11 Alexia Putellas (Levante UD)
Alexia is a great player and in my view one of the members of this squad who can perhaps go furthest in the game. She's only 18 but she's tall and physically strong, which makes her even more complete. Technically she's very good, and when she's got the ball at her feet it's extremely difficult to get it off her. And she can score goals. I just know that she's going to get a goal to help us win the final and she'll be able to dedicate it to someone special; she knows who.

12 Nelly Maestro (CD Transportes Alcaine)
Nelly is another who's just come into the squad for this tournament. She's not had too much playing time but whenever she's been called upon she's been up to the task. She's the kind of player every coach loves to have, as she can come on and change a game from midfield.

13 Esther Sullastres (UD L'Estartit)
Esther's our second-choice keeper and has a really big future ahead of her. She provides really stiff competition for Lola and has similar characteristics – she's another with great reflexes and excellent feet. We're really lucky to have two quality keepers in the squad.

14 Laura Ortiz (Club Atlético de Madrid)
Laura is a great striker with a big future: a player who knows how to score goals. She's not been fortunate enough to play so far this tournament but I'm sure she'll see some action in the final; she will do her bit for the team and freshen up our attack.

15 Nerea Pérez (Levante UD)
Nerea plays out on the wing and is happy on either flank, she's one of the younger players but is a really gutsy performer – she never stops battling. She's one of those players every team needs when you're looking to have a bit more bite and drive in the side. She's the kind of player I like because she's also very skilful.

16 Ana Troyano (Atlético Málaga)
Ana's played both at right-back and in midfield and wherever the boss has decided to play her she's done a great job at this tournament. She's an excellent player in both roles.

17 Raquel Carreño (AD Torrejón CF)
One of those right-backs who are technically very strong, know how to defend and provide a really important outlet going forward too. She's good at getting into the box, is able to switch the play well and is capable of pulling off a great long pass, which in a semi-final or a final might end up leading to a goal.

18 Virginia Torrecilla (Sporting Atlético Ciutat de Palma)
Last but not least is Virginia, who the boss can play in midfield, up front or at full-back – she's certainly very versatile! I was really pleased for her when she scored twice against England and I thought she was a bit unlucky in front of goal in the semi against Portugal. But I think that football often gives you the chance to set the record straight, so I'm sure she'll have a great game tomorrow and get the goal her hard work deserves.

Amanda Sampedro was speaking to Nick Aitken