Atletico Madrid midfielder Virginia Torrecilla played her first game in two years after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor.

The 27-year-old was a late substitute in Atletico’s 7-0 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday. It was her first time playing in a competitive match since March 2020, when she played for Spain in a 1-0 win over England in the SheBelieves Cup.

Earlier that same month, she played her last game for Atletico Madrid, a 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad.

Two months later, Torrecilla was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Prior to that she had been dealing with headaches and back pain. She underwent a successful operation in Pamplona, Spain. Afterward, she went through a round of chemotherapy treatment before returning to training in March 2021.

“I’m very happy to be here with [my teammates] and to share everything,” she said in a video posted by the club on Twitter. “This is a very important step… A lot of time has passed. It has been about effort, a lot of sacrifice and a lot of training.

“I have to thank the club, they’ve always been with me. This is my reward. Being here in the dressing room and on the pitch, it’s very special.”

Following the game, Torrecilla was celebrated by her fellow Barcelona players.