Two years after leaving Real Betis and returning to Tenerife to play two tiers below Liga F, Noelia Salazar has completed her journey back.
Costa Adeje Tenerife have renewed the 27-year-old midfielder’s contract and promoted her permanently to their senior squad for the 2026/27 season. Salazar earned the opportunity through her performances for CD Tenerife Femenino B last season and convinced the coaching staff during pre-season.
Her promotion is not the usual story of a young academy player progressing rapidly through the age groups. Salazar already knew the top flight but had to rebuild her route back through the reserve side.
From scoring the promotion goal to joining the senior squad
Salazar returned to the island in the summer of 2024 to join Fundación CD Tenerife, then playing in Segunda Federación. During her first season, she helped the team earn promotion to the second tier and scored the opening goal against Levante B in the match that secured the title and promotion.
Two months later, CD Tenerife and UD Tenerife presented their joint project. Fundación became the reserve side of the Liga F team, and Salazar spent the 2025/26 season with them in Primera Federación.
The midfielder made 24 appearances, starting every one of them, and scored seven goals. Those performances earned her a place in Yerai Martín’s pre-season squad and, ultimately, in the senior team.
“It is never too late to get an opportunity,” says Salazar, who hopes her promotion will also send a message to academy players who do not reach the first team at the usual age.
Back in the top flight
Salazar developed at Granadilla and made her senior debut for the club. She later joined Alhama, helping them earn promotion to the top flight, before signing for Real Betis in 2022. She spent two seasons with the Andalusian club before returning to Tenerife.
Costa Adeje now add a positional midfielder and organiser who already has Liga F experience and has just completed the highest-scoring season of her career.
Her first competitive opportunity could come against the most demanding opposition possible: Costa Adeje Tenerife open their season away to reigning champions Barcelona on Sunday 30 August.
