A life between the goalposts and the world

Catalina Pérez Jaramillo was born in Bogotá on November 8, 1994. When she was very young her family moved to Boca Raton, in South Florida, and it was there, watching her older brother play, that she found the sport that would change her life. She tried tennis and swimming, but football was always number one.

From age 9 to 18 she wore the colors of Team Boca, of the Soccer Association of Boca Raton, while studying at Saint Andrew's School, where she graduated in 2013. Youth tournaments, trips and trophies shaped a goalkeeper with something you can't coach: the joy of playing.

Her talent quickly found its way back home. At just 15 she was called up by Colombia for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Germany 2010, where Colombia achieved a historic fourth place. A year later she represented her country at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara and, at 17, was called up for the London 2012 Olympics: the first of her three Olympic Games.

Growing up between two countries never made her doubt her flag: on the pitch, Colombia has always been home.

An athletic scholarship took her to the University of Miami, where she balanced the Hurricanes' goal with an outstanding academic record: Provost's Honor Roll, ACC Honor Roll and membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board honor societies. In 2015 she was named the university's Top Female Scholar-Athlete (2015-16) and Palm Beach County's Hispanic Female Athlete of the Year.

In 2015, aged 20, she played her first senior World Cup in Canada, debuting in the round of 16 against the United States; a year later she was called up for the Rio 2016 Olympics. In 2017 she closed her college career at Mississippi State with a breakout season: All-American and First-Team All-SEC.

In 2018 an injury stalled her path to the pros. Far from standing still, Catalina earned an MBA and worked in Boston for Banco Santander. But the goal kept calling her back.

In 2019 she returned to the pitch with New England Mutiny and that same year reached glory with Colombia: a gold medal at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

In January 2020 she signed with Fiorentina, her first European club, becoming the first Colombian in Italy's women's Serie A. The pandemic halted the season and sent her back to Colombia, where she kept training remotely. In July she joined Napoli, where she was named to the Serie A team of the week several times and voted Player of the Match against San Marino.

In August 2021 she signed for Real Betis in Spain. With Colombia she had an unforgettable 2022: she saved two penalties against the United States, from Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle, in a friendly in Colorado, and finished runner-up at the Copa América, which qualified Colombia for the World Cup and the Olympics.

In 2023 she played in Brazil for Avaí before arriving at the Australia & New Zealand World Cup as Colombia's starting goalkeeper. She played every match of a historic run: wins over South Korea, Germany and Jamaica, and Colombia's first ever World Cup quarter-final.

She conceded just two goals in four matches, none from open play. Mid-tournament, Werder Bremen announced her signing: she would become the first Colombian in the history of Germany's women's Bundesliga.

In January 2024 a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, suffered in training with Werder Bremen, tested her character. By May she was back on the pitch and, although she travelled with Colombia to Paris 2024, her third Olympic Games, the coaching staff chose to protect her recovery.

A year later she was back in Colombia's goal for the 2025 Copa América in Ecuador, where Colombia reached the final and finished runner-up after an epic duel with Brazil.

In August 2025 she signed with Racing Club de Strasbourg: the first Colombian in France's Première Ligue and the first South American player in the history of Racing's women's team.

On June 9, 2026, in Asunción, Colombia beat Paraguay 4-3 to win the first-ever CONMEBOL Women's Nations League, earning a direct ticket to the 2027 World Cup. Catalina was part of that historic squad.