Fifteen players from the Spanish team of football have sent emails to the RFEF announcing their decision not to be called up with the national team as long as the conflict with coach Jorge Vilda lasts. This decision comes after a large group of internationals tried, without success, to have Luis Rubiales dismiss Vilda.
The RFEF assures in a statement that “it will not allow the players to question the continuity of the national coach and his coaching staff” and reminds the footballers that “in accordance with current Spanish legislation, not attending a call from the national team is qualified as a very serious infraction and can carry sanctions of between two and five years of disqualification”.
Less than a month ago, the environment of the female footballers leaked that their dissatisfaction with Vilda, already known among Bambolines, had resulted in a meeting with Rubiales to request that he be dismissed. Among the reasons argued was the alleged lack of qualification of the technician, the training routines (deficient for female players) and the results obtained in the last European Championship.
After the uproar created by the riot, the three captains of the selection (Irene Paredes, Jennifer Hermoso and Patri Guijarro) appeared in a press conference to deny that they had asked for Vilda’s head and that they limited themselves to listing aspects with that a wide number of players are unhappy.
The pressure from the players had no effect on Rubiales, who reiterated her confidence in Vilda. In fact, this same week he renewed and strengthened the ‘staff’ of the women’s selections and Vilda continues to be both the selector and the sports director of all the women’s selections, absolute and lower categories.
