What’s Happening with Women’s Football in Spain?

What’s happening with the Spanish National Team

The Spanish National Team went from the predicted winner of the Euros to a divided locker room within a few months. Head coach Jorge Vilda, who has been with the team since 2015, is the center of the team’s troubles. Vilda’s career as head coach contains many too-early exits from tournaments due to lackluster performances. Many expected Spain to win the Euros due to the quality of their team, but a 2-1 loss to England sent the team packing earlier than expected. Fans have wondered for years—how does a team with the likes of Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí and Irene Paredes continue to collapse early on in major tournaments?

Everything boiled over at the end of August when team captains Putellas, Paredes, and Patri Guijarro allegedly asked to have Vilda removed as head coach. This caused a major rift in the locker room, allegedly turning players against each other as some supported removing Vilda and some feared the consequences of speaking out. Vilda, Paredes, Guijarro and Jenni Hermoso held a press conference about the incident, but Vilda took up most of the time. He expressed that he only wanted dedicated players on the national team, meaning players who spoke up against him would likely not be back.

Is Vilda the new Quereda?

For fans of the Spanish National Team, this situation may remind them of 2015 ousting of Ignacio Quereda. Spanish superstar Vero Boquete famously led the revolt against Quereda, which led to his resignation. Despite being in their prime playing years, Boquete and her teammates, who played major roles in his departure, were phased out of the national team. So now the question stands: Will we see Paredes, Putellas, Guijarro and Hermoso play for the national team again? Only time will tell.