The country’s football organisation announced on Friday that Spain’s World Cup-winning players will continue to refuse to participate for the women’s national team. It was only a few hours before new coach Montse Tome was supposed to name her maiden Nations League squad.
The players who lifted the World Cup for the first time after defeating England in the final last month were among 81 players who pledged not to play for the national team again. In the aftermath of his uninvited kiss on captain Jenni Hermoso, Luis Rubiales remained president of the federation (RFEF).
Rubiales resigned from the RFEF last week, only days after World Cup winner Jorge Vilda was fired and replaced by Montse Tome, the team’s first female manager. However, such adjustments have not been sufficient to entice players to return.
The 23 players who won in Australia and New Zealand will not be part of Tome’s initial team. It’s for the UEFA Nations League games against Sweden on September 22 and Switzerland on September 26.
The squad conducted multiple talks but ultimately decided not to participate in the matches. The decision comes as a big blow to Tome, who will be without any of his regular first-team players for the start of the Nations League, which will determine qualification for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner for Spain, stated on Wednesday that the players demand radical change.
“We are asking for changes so no woman, inside or outside of football. Should ever have to experience again situations of disparagement, disrespect, or abuse,” Alexia said. “We need consensus, courage and leadership from the institutions, please. This is why we will not stop here.”
Rubiales testified in front of a Spanish judge on Friday about allegations made by state prosecutors that he sexually assaulted Hermoso with his kiss. He claims the kiss was consensual, although Hermoso has constantly denied this.
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