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Spain's new national coach Tomé: Stay "among us"

Photo: THOMAS COEX / AFP

Spain's women's soccer world champions are threatening to sue after their nomination for the upcoming Nations League and continue to refuse to play. This was announced by the players in an open letter late in the evening. Previously, the new national coach Montse Tomé had called 15 of them into her squad.

"We, as professional players, after everything that happened today, will examine the possible legal consequences to which the RFEF exposes us," the statement said. The nomination was "not made on time".

The players also referred to their position from last Friday, when they had declared their boycott – also with an open letter. "This declaration remains fully valid," they wrote. Since then, "no member of the RFEF has been told otherwise," the statement said.

Hermoso not nominated – for »protection«

A few hours earlier, Tomé, successor to the dismissed Jorge Vilda, had nominated two-time World Player of the Year Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati and Olga Carmona, among others, for the upcoming games against Sweden on Friday and Switzerland on Tuesday next week – despite the boycott. However, Jenni Hermoso, who was particularly in the spotlight, was absent – supposedly for her own protection.

"I spoke to them," Tomé replied when asked if she had sought dialogue with the players concerned before being nominated. But this remains "between us," Tomé explained. Regarding Hermoso's appointment, she said: "We thought it was the best way to protect her."

The 33-year-old was kissed on the mouth after the World Cup final in Sydney at the award ceremony by the now resigned Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales without her consent. The incident triggered a wave of international outrage.

Rubiales then resigned a little over a week ago under great pressure. On Friday, he was sentenced to stay away from Hermoso in the future. The 46-year-old is only allowed to approach the national soccer player up to 200 meters, an investigating judge decided. The former president of the association had to answer for the allegation of sexual violence in court.

In the Nations League, the two European starting places for the 2024 Summer Olympics are at stake, and world champions Spain must also qualify.

AEH/SID