Spain players REAFFIRM their opposition to being called-up for their country after Montse Tome named 15 World Cup winners in her squad after hinting at a breakthrough with her furious players
- Spain players are holding firm on their opposition to being called-up for duty
- The players said they would take the ‘best decision’ for their future and health
- Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off’
Spain’s women’s football team players said on Monday their firm opposition to be called for the national team remains in place after most of the players who last month won the Women’s World Cup were selected for upcoming games.
In a joint statement, the players said they would take the ‘best decision’ for their future and health after they studied the legal implications it could have for them to not attend the call-up.
The revolt by the players followed a kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso by the country’s football federation boss Luis Rubiales after Spain won the World Cup, which eventually triggered his resignation.
Rubiales is also battling charges of sexual assault and coercion, while controversial former manager Jorge Vilda was sacked from his role.
Last week, 39 players signed a statement insisting they will make themselves unavailable for selection until changes are made in the structure of the national team and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Spain’s women’s football team players said their firm opposition to be called for the national team remains in place after most of the World Cup players were selected for upcoming games
It has been a tumultuous period for Spanish football after Luis Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips… while Montse Tome has announced her first squad since taking over from Jorge Vilda
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This came after total of 81 players had signed a letter last month stating that they would reject the call-up until there was a change in leadership at the Spanish FA.
However, new boss Montse Tome named her first squad since taking over from Vilda and included 15 of the World Cup winners, but not Hermoso.
Speaking after her squad was announced, Tome said: ‘We are with Jenni and with all the players. As for Jenni, we felt the best way to protect her in this squad was in this way.’
Tome also hinted at a breakthrough with her furious players when reflecting on the surprising selection of 15 of the World Cup-winning stars despite their insistence last week that they would refuse a call-up.
She added: ‘We have experienced a special situation and we have experienced something exceptional. The federation has worked to talk to them and work with them and we are very excited about the path now in the Nations League.’
She continued: ‘I have been working with them (the players) for five years, although in another role, and I have always felt their trust.
‘I feel good. I have always been in the shadows but I have confidence in my work and I want to do things well and work. I enjoy what I do, we have the best soccer players in the world and we cannot be forgotten.
‘We are in a change in the structure of the federation and I have the utmost confidence that we can do things well and that our players are in a climate of trust and security.’
However, most of the players who last month won the Women’s World Cup have said that their firm opposition to be called for the national team remains in place despite being called-up.
Their latest stance comes after they released the following statement last week. It read: ‘The changes made are not enough for the players to feel safe, where women are respected, where there is support for women’s football and where we can maximise our potential.
‘The players of the Spanish team have, at all times, been open to dialogue, seeking to convey clear and well-argued reasons that we believe are necessary to be able to carry out our work at the highest level with the respect we deserve.
‘The specified changes to the RFEF are based on zero tolerance for those people who, from a position within the RFEF, have had, incited, hidden or applauded attitudes that go against the dignity of women.
Tome insisted Hermoso was left out of the Spanish squad this week in order to ‘protect her’
Tome (left – pictured with interim Spanish FA president Pedro Rocha) also hinted at a breakthrough with her players before their latest stance was made public
‘We firmly believe that strong changes are required in leadership positions in the RFEF and specifically, in the area of women’s football.
‘We want to end this statement by expressing that the players of the Spanish team are professionals, and what fills us most with pride is wearing the shirt of our national team and leading our country to the highest positions.’
‘We believe that it is time to fight to show that these situations and practices have no place in football or society, that the current structure needs changes and we do it so that the next generations can have equality in football and at the level that we all deserve.’
Spain are set to host Switzerland on Tuesday in what will be their first home game since winning the World Cup.
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