Spain’s soccer world champions are threatening to sue after being nominated for the upcoming Nations League and are continuing to refuse to play.
The players announced this in an open letter late on Monday evening (September 18th, 2023). The new national coach Montse Tome had previously appointed 15 of them to her squad. “As professional players, after everything that happened today, we will examine the possible legal consequences that the RFEF may subject us to”, the statement said. The nomination is “not done on time“.
Referred to Friday’s boycott
The players also referred to their position from last Friday, when they declared their boycott – also with an open letter. “This declaration remains fully valid”, write. Since then “No member of the RFEF was not informed otherwise” the statement continued.
A few hours earlier, Tome, successor to the dismissed Jorge Vilda, had nominated, among others, two-time world footballer Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati and Olga Carmona for the upcoming games against Sweden on Friday and Switzerland on Tuesday next week – despite the boycott.
Hermoso is missing from the squad
However, Jenni Hermoso, who was particularly in focus, was missing – supposedly for her own protection. The 33-year-old was kissed on the mouth by the Spanish association president Luis Rubiales, who has since resigned, without her consent at the award ceremony after the World Cup final in Sydney. The incident sparked a wave of international outrage.
“I spoke to them”, Tome answered the question of whether she had sought dialogue with the players concerned before the nomination. But this remains “among us”explained Tome.
Two starting places for the Olympic Games
Regarding Hermoso’s personnel, she said: “We thought it was the best way to protect them.” The Nations League is about the two European starting places for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and world champion Spain also has to qualify.
