The recently proclaimed world champions should be enjoying their well-deserved stardom, but instead they find themselves immersed in a long-standing battle to improve their conditions. All the internationals resigned en masse after the embarrassing behavior of Luis Rubiales, including a kiss to Jenni Hermoso, and it remains to be seen if they return in time for Spain's debut in the Nations League that gives access to the Olympic Games. The waters are troubled, with the president of the Federation forced to resign after having been temporarily disqualified by FIFA and denounced by the Prosecutor's Office, without a sports director after the dismissal of Jorge Vilda and with a continued bet on the bench: Montse Tomé, so far second of the Madrid in the absolute.
There is a lot of criticism that the Spanish internationals have received, victims of their own policy of solitary confinement. They have lacked clarity in their requests, but they all have a single objective: to achieve a professional structure. Since the now world-famous conflict of the 15 broke out, they have repeated ad nauseam that what they want is to have guaranteed conditions that allow them to focus solely on football. "Having to fight all day wears you down a lot," Alexia Putellas has said on more than one occasion. The soccer players simply want to enjoy the necessary conditions to be a top world team: a prepared coach, a large staff, travel conditions worthy of an elite team...
The fight, which they intensified a year ago, served to achieve improvements already carried out in this World Cup, to which they have traveled under the same conditions as the men's team. Goodbye tourist trips, long bus journeys and mediocre hotels. The coaching staff has also been expanded, incorporating such a basic figure as a nutritionist. Furthermore, one of the Federation's big announcements was the conciliation plan that has allowed Irene Paredes and Ivana Andrés to travel accompanied by their children throughout the World Cup. On an economic level, after last year's Euro Cup, improvements were already announced in the remuneration of international players and this year FIFA has multiplied its bonuses, so the 23 Spanish footballers will receive 250,000 euros each for winning the World Cup.
A proven coach at the head of the team, someone with previous experience, as happens in the rest of the notable teams. Jorge Vilda came to the Federation having only coached the modest Canillas from Madrid, and Montse Tomé does not have any experience as a head coach. Although the Federation tries to justify this appointment as the revolution that the players demanded, the truth is that it is a continuing commitment, just as Vilda himself was in his day. Then the change was disguised by the youth of the Madrid native, today, by the fact that Tomé is a woman, but the truth is that the Asturian woman has always been Vilda's right hand and the one he himself had chosen to succeed her the year he comes, at the end of his contract.
It is not about them wanting to choose their coach, but about feeling that the Federation takes women's football seriously. That the selectors are chosen by meritocracy, not by hand. The Federation also did not take any action against Luis Rubiales and the president ended up leaving on his own after being disqualified for 90 days by FIFA and denounced by the Prosecutor's Office. The president accompanied the team to New Zealand throughout the World Cup, an express request of the 15, although his role was more of Vilda's squire than of real support for the soccer players.
The players want to know what the plan is, if the Federation has a clear project for women's football. It is not known how long Tomé has signed for, nor what will happen to the sports management, vacant after Vilda's departure. And time is running out. The RFEF should have communicated a week ago the list of squads for the next FIFA window, which starts next Monday. The clubs could even refuse to give up their players for being out of time, although it is not clear what will happen since Spanish legislation prevails, although it would only be a problem if the international players decide not to return to the national team and the Federation wants to call them up against his will.
