Less than two months before the start of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, some of the 15 Spanish internationals who resigned from the national team in September asking for improvements in their structure, have decided to return. According to Gol and La Vanguardia has been able to confirm, some of them have already sent a letter to the Spanish Federation announcing that they can be summoned again.
The identity of the footballers who have taken this step has not been revealed, but according to what La Vanguardia has learned, some FC Barcelona footballer would be in this group, the majority among the 15. Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Sandra Paños, Mariona Caldentey, Claudia Pina and Mapi León were the six blaugrana who sent the letter of resignation. Irene Paredes did not do it, nor did Alexia Putellas, who was injured, but both supported her teammates, although Paredes has already returned to the national team, following in the footsteps of Jenni Hermoso.
With Alexia Putellas recovered from her injury, all the spotlights are on her. The pressure on the captain of Barça and the national team is total, both from the Federation and from the sponsors who cannot imagine a World Cup without the two-time Ballon d'Or winner. Gol assured yesterday that Mollet's team wants to return, but only if there is agreement with 15.
An agreement that today looks closer, but that is still far from being total. Within the Federation, the changes that have been made have been minimal, such as the one announced yesterday in which it explained that facilities would be offered to soccer players who are mothers to reconcile during the World Cup.
In this context, there are still some internationals who refuse to return considering that there have been no substantial improvements. This is how Mapi León herself confessed a few days ago in an interview on Rac1: “As of today I will not go to the World Cup. It is not a decision lightly, but I cannot return if I do not see changes and what has been done is insufficient.
