Jenni Hermoso has been excluded from the Spanish squad for the Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland.
It has been a tumultuous and dramatic period for Spanish football since they won the World Cup last month, after disgraced former president Luis Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips in the aftermath of their final victory over England.
He eventually resigned, although he faces charges of assault and coercion, while controversial former manager Jorge Vilda was dismissed from his position.
Even more drama came last week when 39 players signed a statement insisting they will not make themselves available for selection until changes are made to the structure of the national team and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). This came after a total of 81 players signed a letter last month saying they would reject the call-up until there was a change in leadership at the Spanish Football Federation.
However, new boss Montse Tome has named her squad for the international breakthrough and includes fifteen World Cup winners, but not Hermoso.
The Spanish Football Association have called up 15 of their World Cup-winning squad, but not Jenni Hermoso
After her selection was announced, Tome said, “We stand behind Jenni and all the players. As for Jenni, we felt the best way to protect her on this team was this way.”
Tome also hinted at a breakthrough with her irate players after announcing her selection as she reflected on the surprise selection of the 15 players.
She added: “We have experienced an extraordinary situation and we have experienced something exceptional.
“The Federation has tried to talk and work with them and we are very excited about the path we are now taking in the Nations League.”
She continued: “I have been working with them (the players) for five years, albeit in a different role, and I have always felt their confidence.
‘I feel fine. I have always been in the shadows, but I have confidence in my work and I want to do things and work well.
‘I enjoy what I do, we have the best footballers in the world and we should not be forgotten. We are in the midst of a change in the structure of the Federation and I am confident that we can get things right and that our players are in an environment of trust and security.”
Tome – who previously served as Vilda’s assistant – was due to announce her squad on Friday before the players released the aforementioned statement, which read: ‘The changes made are not enough to make players feel safe, where women are respected, where there is support for women’s football and where we can maximize our potential.
‘The players of the Spanish team have always been open to dialogue and have tried 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 engaged, instigated, concealed or condoned attitudes that are contrary to the dignity of women.
“We strongly believe that strong changes are needed in leadership positions in the RFEF and specifically in women’s football.
“We would like 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 that so that the next generations can have equality in football and at the level we can achieve. they all deserve it.’
The selection of 15 World Cup winners in the squad will follow afterwards Marca reported on Monday how the RFEF had launched a public and written commitment for renewal and change in the national team.
The report stated that this was a last-ditch effort to get some stars to reverse their decisions.
Tome’s comments at her press conference suggest that this effort was successful in some quarters, with the RFEF ensuring “a safe environment and a commitment to a climate of mutual trust.”
The full statement read: ‘The RFEF wishes to convey to the internationals of the national team the public commitment acquired by the new management of the institution that directs football in Spain. The aim is to express clearly and without internal or external interpretations the strategic axes in this new phase of the Federation, which both football and society demand.
‘The Federation itself is aware of the need to implement structural changes, as the President of the Management Committee, Pedro Rocha, has already announced and has recently begun to implement. This belief has led to difficult decisions being made in recent days and will continue to be made as there is a belief that innovation is necessary.
‘In this sense, it is absolutely essential to implement these changes, clarify any behavior and behavior that may have taken place, and therefore act professionally and fairly, taking care of the relevant responsibilities in each case.’
It continued: ‘It is clear that the Federation, society and the players themselves pursue the same objective: renewal and the beginning of a new phase in which football is the great beneficiary of this entire process. For this reason, players are urged to join this change led by the Federation, recognizing that the transformations that must proceed must be solid and fair.
We guarantee a safe environment for the players and are committed to an environment of mutual trust, so that we can work together and ensure that women’s football progresses even more strongly. ‘We have to start showing off the star that the internationals have worked so hard to achieve.’
In the original 39 players who signed Friday’s letter stressing they would not play for Spain until changes were made, the 23 stars from the World Cup campaign were reportedly joined by 12 of the famous ‘Las 15’.
They chose to ban themselves from an international call-up last year after writing to the Spanish Football Federation about it they would not be available for selection as long as Vilda remained in his position.
But the RFEF released a strongly worded statement in response, saying the selected players had committed a ‘very serious offence’ by refusing to play for the country.
Spain take on Sweden on Friday before playing Switzerland next Tuesday in what will be their first home game since winning the World Cup.
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