Fifteen of the 23 Spanish world champions, the majority on strike since the Rubiales affair, were called up this Monday to participate in the next Nations League matches by the new coach Montse Tomé, who left Jenni Hermoso aside.
The players have not yet publicly declared that they agree to return to the national team, despite the resignation of former Spanish soccer coach Luis Rubiales after his forced kiss on Jenni Hermoso and the dismissal of coach Jorge Vilda, whose methods they criticized.
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“The players are professionals and I am sure that they will do their job well, they have been doing it for a long time,” said Montse Tomé when revealing her first list. “I know that tomorrow they will be with us,” she assured, without being able to give additional guarantees.
The former FC Barcelona player also kept Mapi León and Patri Guijarro, not called up for the World Cup and part of the “fifteen rebels” who had already demanded changes in the team’s working methods a year ago.
In total, 39 players, including 21 of the 23 Spaniards crowned in Sydney, announced in a statement on Friday that the conditions were not met to play with the national team again and called for a total reform of the Spanish football authorities.
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Among the signatories is the double Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas. They demand more changes at different levels of the federation, including the resignation of several members who were part of Luis Rubiales’ team.
Regarding the absence of Jenni Hermoso, Montse Tomé declared that she had spoken with her, without revealing the content of their conversation, before assuring that it was, according to her, “the best way to protect her.” “We have Jenni, I have been working with her for five years,” she added.
The Spanish face Sweden on Friday and Switzerland next week in the Nations League, the qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The summoned players:
Guardians: Mass. Rodríguez, Cata Coll, Enith Hall
Défenseuses: Irene Paredes, Laia Alexandri, Oihane, Olga Carmona, Ona Batlle, Mapi León, María Méndez
Milieux: Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Patri Guijarro, María Pérez, Tere Abelleira, Rosa Márquez.
Attacuantes: Athenea del Castillo, Esther González, Eva Navarro, Inma Gabarro, Mariona, Lucía García, Amaiur Sarriegi, Mariona Caldentey
