Spain’s victorious Women’s World Cup team remains steadfast in their resolve to abstain from national team call-ups unless substantive reforms are implemented within the Spanish football federation. A source with intimate knowledge of the situation disclosed this development on Friday, just hours before newly appointed coach Montse Tome was poised to unveil her squad for the upcoming Nations League clashes against Sweden and Switzerland, scheduled for September 22 and 26.
The Spanish football landscape has been marred by turmoil since the shocking incident involving Luis Rubiales, the former president of the federation, who forcibly kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips in front of the global media following Spain’s triumphant Women’s World Cup final victory over England on August 20 in Australia.
In a joint declaration released last month, a staggering total of 81 Spanish players, including all 23 members of the Women’s World Cup-winning squad, made it unequivocally clear that they would refrain from representing the national team unless substantive reforms were undertaken at the highest levels of the federation.
In response to the player’s demands, Rubiales tendered his resignation, and the football federation took the contentious step of dismissing their embattled coach, Jorge Vilda. Montse Tome, formerly Vilda’s assistant manager, was subsequently appointed to lead the team and has promised to spearhead further internal reforms within the federation.
Sources within Spanish football circles anticipate a forthcoming statement from the players on Friday, in which they are expected to outline the specific reforms they still demand before they are willing to don the national team jersey once more. The Women’s World Cup champions appear resolute in their quest for change, underlining their commitment to not only on-field excellence but also the principles of respect and dignity within the sport.
