“A 360-degree professionalization has been achieved with specialists in each plot: specialist in goalkeepers, physical preparation, psychologists, analysts, tutors…”indicates Ana, who has seen how in a few years the RFEF has gone from not considering women’s football as a professional sport to the absolute women’s team receiving the same treatment as the men’s team, starting with the facilities in Las Rozas, “field A, which is the best field in the RFEF, is only for the absolute male and female. The female absolute gym is the same as the male one and is only used by them. The wardrobe is also only for the absolute, male and female… Before, this did not happen “comments Ana, giving more examples of the global picture of where we are and where we came from.
Changes for maximum rest and performance
That equality of treatment has also arrived in the way of traveling and lodging. The conditions are practically the same and the only thing they are different is in terms of safety (the absolute masculine needs more security than the feminine). “This policy has been put into practice during this period of Luis Rubiales’ administration. Now they sleep in single rooms, before they were doubles… Everything has been prioritized to obtain maximum performance and rest. When you have to use business or a charter flight, it is done because the (sports) coaching staff deems it convenient”. Nothing is done without a reason or an explanation and everything responds to trying to get the soccer players in the best possible conditions to a match or tournament.
More examples of progress in five years? In 2018, the soccer players played in standard Federation clothing and had no names on their backs. From the arrival of Luis Rubiales, everything began to be personalized, starting with the issue of generating idols and benchmarks for girls in Spain while working with Adidas to adapt all the technical equipment to the needs of the soccer players. “Adidas has designed the first kit for the World Cup in Australia with them. They have intervened in that elaboration”says Anna.
On a day-to-day basis, the most important aspect, the leap in the absolute Selection has been gigantic. In 2018, the delegation consisted of 13 people and now there are 24. Delving into details: Currently there are three physiotherapists (previously one or two), a doctor, a cook, a psychologist (in these cases such figures did not exist). And now there is a kit man who dedicates himself full time to the Absolute, something that was not included before.
