Majority of Spain's Women's World Cup squad refuses call-up: Statement

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Sep 2023 21:09

The players inform the RFEF that the changes put in place are not enough for them to feel they are in a safe place where women are respected.

Spain's players stand in a huddle ahead of the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup final football match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, on August 20, 2023 (AFP)

Almost all of Spain's women's World Cup-winning squad considered on Friday that the recent changes by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) did not go far enough for them to return to the national team.

The statement came as the team's new coach Montse Tome was supposed to announce the lineup for two upcoming international fixtures, which federation sources said would now be delayed.

"As we have informed the RFEF today, the changes put in place are not enough for the players to feel they are in a safe place where women are respected, where women's football is supported and where we can give our maximum performance," the players stressed in a statement released by the Futpro union.

The statement was signed by 39 players, including 21 of the 23 players on the women's national squad.

Spanish football has been in turmoil since RFEF boss Luis Rubiales, who has since resigned, forcibly kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain defeated England in the Women's World Cup final on August 20.

On August 25, 81 Spain players, including the 23 world champions, joined a mass strike, saying they would not play for the national team without significant changes at the head of the federation.

Since then, the RFEF sacked the team's controversial coach Jorge Vilda and named Tome as his replacement, the first woman to hold the post, in addition to pledging further internal reforms. Rubiales resigned earlier this week.

In the statement, the players expressed their "enormous dissatisfaction" with the events after the World Cup and at an RFEF meeting on August 25 at which Rubiales said he would not resign, only to be met with widespread applause.

"The events, which unfortunately everyone saw, were not a one-off, and they go beyond the realm of sport. We must have zero tolerance for such incidents for the sake of our colleague (Hermoso), for our sakes, and those of all women," they said.

The players said they had met several times with the RFEF to set out "the essential changes to move forward and build a system that does not tolerate or participate in such degrading acts."

Despite weeks of resistance, Rubiales finally resigned late on Sunday and was in court in Madrid earlier on Friday on charges of sexual assault and coercion over the kiss and his subsequent behavior toward Hermoso.