‘You cannot relax at any moment’: Brighton’s Carla Camacho on adapting to life in the WSL after Real Madrid exit

With this disrupting the Spaniard’s progression, Camacho mustered a total of 11 appearances and two goals across La Liga and the Champions League before she made the difficult decision to depart Los Blancos in August 2025.  

Leaving behind her humble neighbourhood of Orcasitas in Madrid to move to the south coast of England was always going to be a difficult but exciting adjustment for the 20-year-old. Nine months on from joining Brighton and Hove Albion, Camacho's first season at the club can be seen as one of learning the ropes of the English game. 

“When I came here, I was quite scared to leave Real Madrid, of course, because it's such a big club, and you never know what is going to come next,” Camacho exclusively told The Brighton Base. 

“But since the first moment I came here, everyone took care of me so well, and I've been learning a lot. 

“There has been some moments, tough moments, and especially because of the language. But it is something I think you have to go through when you change country, and it’s my first time being alone, without my family.”

For the first two months of the season, it was a slow start to life in England for Camacho.

Lionesses’ Euros hero Michelle Agyemang was given the nod ahead of the summer signing as Brighton’s No. 9. However, while on international duty in October, Agyemang suffered an ACL injury, condemning her to the same long and arduous road to recovery as Camacho had undertaken three years prior.

The Spaniard was then immediately introduced as the starting striker for the following Women’s Super League matches in November, but Camacho struggled to make her mark. Instead, it was winger Kiko Seike who proved the supplier of Albion’s goals.

When talking to The Brighton Base, Camacho identified the reason for her goalscoring difficulties, explaining: “I think it’s a bit of everything (their physicality, mentality and intelligence). I really noticed the difference. They are so smart because they know how to put you out of the game. 

“Even without the ball or even if the ball is far away, they will be, like, pushing you. It's never easy to turn, to hold, because they will kick you. So yeah, I learned to be more aggressive, I think. 

“I didn't expect it to be fair, like I knew it was so physical, but since you are not on the pitch and you feel it, then you won't know what they say when they say ‘no, it's more aggressive, more physical’. 

“But when I came here, I really noticed since the first moment that they are really there so you cannot relax at any moment, even if the ball is so far away.”

With Camacho failing to make the desired impact as Brighton’s focal point, scoring just two goals in the League Cup group stage, head coach Dario Vidošić chose to employ left winger Seike as a false nine, with right winger Madison Haley dropping into the No. 10 role to support the Japan international. 

This tactical change immediately proved a successful one, with Haley and Seike both scoring in a 4-1 rout over Leicester City at the Amex Stadium on November 16. Brighton then went on to secure their first away victory of the season, with the pair combining for Seike’s all-important matchwinner against London City Lionesses. 

Haley’s role then altered again, however, in February, as she was tasked with leading the line, while Seike returned to her more familiar position out wide.

In their settled roles, the duo played a major part in Brighton’s giant-killing spree over the months of April and May. Haley scored a stunning goal in the Seagulls’ 2-0 triumph over Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals, before she secured a further brace against Manchester City in a shock 3-2 victory. Seike too scored on that late April day, before Haley again returned to the spotlight with a crucial leveller against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals in early May.

Meanwhile, Camacho was introduced as a substitute in most league and latter FA Cup ties, helping to drive possession forwards and test tiring defences as Brighton sought to extend their advantage against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City. 

The Spaniard also started against Chelsea in March, with Camacho’s long-range deflected strike beating goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to record her first and solitary goal of the WSL season in a 2-1 defeat for the Seagulls.

“I always have this mindset (to score goals). Of course, you have to have chances also, which is sometimes out of your control,” said Camacho.

“It was so exciting when I scored against Chelsea. It’s such a big team. When I was young, I couldn’t imagine myself playing against Chelsea, so I was happy. 

“But when I was home, I was like ‘okay, now let’s see what I have to improve to play the next game’, and this is like this. You can never relax.”

Camacho has certainly gained many invaluable experiences over the course of the campaign, including a trip to Wembley as Brighton reached their first-ever Women’s FA Cup Final. With the striker surprisingly not making it onto the pitch during the Seagulls’ 4-0 defeat to Manchester City, the Spaniard will be keen to play a larger role in matches now she is more acquainted with her WSL opponents. 

Camacho’s first chance to prove she should be Albion’s starting No. 9 will come during their pre-season. It is almost certain she will not just have Haley for competition, however, with Brighton signing Olivia García, 22, in January from Danish outfit HB Køge. While the American spent the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign on loan with Swedish side AIK, she may join the Seagulls next season. 

More pressingly for Camacho, though, is the potential signing of an experienced striker, with supporters calling for the club to recruit former Lioness Bethany England. The 32-year-old has competed in the WSL for the past 15 years, with England recently announcing her emotional departure from Tottenham Hotspur after scoring 32 goals in 66 appearances for the Lilywhites.

While there could, therefore, be strong competition next season, Camacho’s animated and bubbly character demonstrated she is more than determined to build on her debut campaign. 

“Next season, I am looking forward to enjoy because when I enjoy, I play better,” said Camacho. 

“Of course, I’m looking forward to scoring goals, but it’s not only one thing, it’s a lot. Doing good things, the good things will come.”