The players demanded more changes last week before returning to the national team.
of Spain the new head coach of the women’s national football team Montse Tome invited 15 fresh world champion players to the upcoming Nations League matches, although many of the selected players have said they are on national team strike.
Spanish football has been in the middle of an uproar for almost a month when the president of the country’s football federation (RFEF). Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed at the award ceremony of the World Cup final Jenni Hermosoa. After the incident, numerous players expressed their support for Hermoso and refused to represent the Spanish national team.
The striking players have demanded changes to the working culture of the Spanish Football Association. Head coach of the World Cup gold team Jorge Vilda resigned from his position at the beginning of September, and finally Rubiales also left his position as RFEF chairman.
Tome did not select Hermoso for the national team group, but among other things Alexia Putellas and those who were sidelined from the World Cup Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro are included in the player list. Tome claimed on Monday that he had discussed the recent national team selections beforehand with the players.
“I trust that these players are professionals. They have just become world champions, they love the national team and I know they will be here (in the team) tomorrow. Today we start a new era in the national team,” said Tome, who was Vilda’s assistant coach.
Tome said that he left Hermoso out of the team because he wanted to protect him.
“We support Jenni and all the players.”
For example according to the British newspaper The Guardian, the players are threatened with legal action and the suspension of their player license if they refuse the national team invitation. However, not everyone is convinced that the players’ desire to participate is genuine. For example, the British Broadcasting Corporation The BBC reported last weekthat the players are demanding more changes before they return, even though chairman Luis Rubiales has backed off.
Playing in the Swiss national team Ana Crnogorcevic has been surprised by the decision to invite the players who announced the boycott. Crnogorcevic, who plays for Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league, says the decision is disrespectful.
“This is absurd. How can you treat your own players like this. Call them up to the national team after they’ve made it clear they want changes before they come back. This is so disrespectful. Clearly they don’t care. They don’t let them make their own decisions,” Crnogorcevic said.
Spain will face Sweden on September 22 and Switzerland on September 26 in the Women’s Nations League.