Home » El Cortijo de Jorge Vilda: The Players vs The RFEF

El Cortijo de Jorge Vilda: The Players vs The RFEF

Featured, Football, Spanish Primera Division, Sports / By /
Spain vs Finland, UEFA Women’s EURO. Photo by James Whitehead

The Spanish media outlet La Ser released a report in the late hours of 22nd September alleging that 15 players from the Spanish National Team had submitted emails to the Federation declaring their desire to quit the team. The Spanish Federation, unsurprisingly, stated in response to the story. However, every piece of information given after the announcement has been dense.

The message was leaked around 11 p.m., so a radio show mostly listened to by men could aid RFEF in controlling the narrative of the incident. Furthermore, not allowing the public image to shift produces the narrative that the RFEF desires.

To read everything in the lead-up to this step, click here


Statement by the Spanish Federation (RFEF)

After promptly issuing a statement in response to the La Ser and La COPE reports, the RFEF reaction displayed inappropriate arrogance.

“The Royal Spanish Football Federation communicates that, throughout today, it has received 15 emails from 15 women’s senior football team players, coincidentally all with the same wording, in which they state that the current situation generated. It affects “significantly” their “emotional state” and their “health” and that, “as long as it is not reversed”, they resign from the Spanish national team.”

Spain vs Finland, UEFA Women’s EURO. Photo by James Whitehead

“This fact has gone from being a sporting issue to a dignity issue. The selection is non-negotiable. It is unprecedented in the history of football, both male and female, in Spain and worldwide. The national team needs players committed to the project, defending our colours and proud to wear the Spain shirt. The players who have submitted their resignation will only return to the discipline of the national team in the future if they accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness.”

The identities of the 15 players who sent the emails were promptly made public. Patri Guijarro, Mapi LeĂłn, Sandra Panos, Lola Gallardo, A. Moraza, Aitana Bonmati, Leila Ouahabi, Lucia Garcia, Ona Batlle, L. Aleixandri, C. Pina, Andrea Pereira, M. Caldentey, Nerea Eizagirre, and A. Sarriegi were among those cited.

Important to note that the players from Real Madrid are absent from those who have sent in the emails. The reason is simple. Relevo revealed that the reason behind this would that the club recommended the players not to participate or associate themselves with these emails. Meanwhile, Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes and Jenni Hermoso have also been absent. It isn’t that these players do not support the cause. They were the first to raise their voices against Vilda however, after the previous camp, Irene Paredes is burnt out, and Alexia Putellas will be out long-term due to her ACL injury.

While the RFEF claims that the National Team is non-negotiable, they continue to demonstrate that the coach, Jorge Vilda, is non-negotiable, not the team. According to the announcement, the Spanish National Team only needs dedicated players for the initiative. However, following the accusations voiced during the last international break, Jorge Vilda wasted no time speaking in an interview and reiterating the same. His statements implied that the opposition players are replaceable, and the precise wording may be seen in the RFEF statement. Co-incidence? Most likely not. 

Lluis Rubiales, President of the RFEF, frequently emphasises the importance of women’s football growth in the country. However, women’s football in Spain is still in its early stages. Recent changes to the rules enforced by the Spanish Federation of Women’s Leagues indicate otherwise. The referees’ strike a day before the start of the league to the excessive penalties imposed by the RFEF on the players for Red and Yellow card infractions have demonstrated how seriously women’s football is treated in the country.


Changing the Narrative

The identities of the players who wrote the email were swiftly revealed, and RFEF put in a name that enabled them and pro-RFEF media to modify the narrative. Along with the names, RFEF promptly stated that the world’s top player, Alexia Putellas, was not among those who sent the emails. A name like Alexia Putellas attracts attention immediately, and the plot works in RFEF’s favour. Unfortunately, the RFEF and pro-RFEF media omit to note the Spanish captain’s direct engagement from the start in backing the players’ displeasure with Vilda.

As if that wasn’t enough, the pro-RFEF media has done everything they can to make it appear that the players are ‘BLACKMAILING’ the Federation into sacking Vilda. On 23rd September, the front page of the Spanish newspaper Marca had the headline “The Blackmail is Unacceptable.” If blackmail is what one wants to discuss, consider the referees’ strike one day before the Spanish Women’s League opening, Liga F. The phrases used during the news conference and the tone in which they were delivered were pretentious, boastful, and arrogant. The first matchday of the league had to be called off owing to the lack of officials on the field. Furthermore, the referees chose the RFEF to negotiate on their behalf, the same RFEF that had previously paid them significantly less. Per the present contract, referees get a more significant minimum compensation than players.

While the rest of the world applauds the Spanish players for standing up for themselves, the country’s media continues to mock them. The Federation plays the victim all the while, claiming ignorance of the matter.


RFEF backing Jorge Vilda

Jorge Vilda has refused to resign as Spain’s head coach. His contract was extended until 2024, before the start of the European Championship, thanks to tremendous support from the Federation and President Luis Rubiales. Perhaps the support, as mentioned above, gives Vilda the authority to make public remarks questioning the integrity of the athletes. Vilda’s toxic behaviour is no surprise, given the knowledge about the one-on-one sessions with the players that lasted hours during the previous international camp. At the end of camp, many felt dread and grief since they knew Irene Paredes (targeted by the Pro-RFEF media and the Federation), and some of the players who retaliated would not return.

Outcasting athletes who react against the RFEF and coaching is not new. For example, when they led the reaction against abusive coach Ignacio Quereda, Jorge Vilda and the RFEF outcasted players like Vero Boquete and Vicky Losada. However, in 2015, these seasoned players gave up their international careers for the players’ future. Unfortunately, established women like Irene Paredes and young players like Claudia Pina must speak up for themselves.

The toxicity faced by the National Team under Vilda is described in Danae Boronat’s Spanish novel “No las llames chicas,llamales futbolistas.” The book explains how the players must leave their room doors open during camp so Vilda can check to see if the players are asleep.

Spanish National Team
Spain vs Finland, UEFA Women’s EURO. Photo by James Whitehead

Is it possible that the RFEF and President Rubiales will terminate Jorge Vilda? ‘Perro no come, Perro,’ as the Spanish say, means you don’t eat one of your own is an answer enough. Instead, the RFEF has threatened the players with punishment, citing the Sports Law, which outlines athletes’ responsibility to participate in national team calls and that unjustifiable absence constitutes a “serious” offence that can be punished.


Conclusion

With the world’s attention now focused on the Spanish National Team, the RFEF’s stance will be critical. Naturally, none of this would occur on the men’s squad, and the only purpose for mentioning it is that the RFEF want equality between the men’s and women’s teams. Not in terms of pay or exposure, but rather in terms of the fines levied by them. It is disheartening to see that for the anger to spread worldwide; players had to adopt harsh steps like this. Finally, can the RFEF explain the loss of 15 of its top players? Is maintaining a coach who has accomplished nothing in the last seven years more important than losing the players? The only thing RFEF and its President Luis Rubiales has done is reap the benefits from the money, and attention women’s football is getting. They have done nothing to help the growth of women’s football in Spain. But, they have done everything possible to hinder its growth. Be it the National Team, Liga F or the players.

The players, however, are fearlessly ready with their side of the story for the world to know. They are expected to release a joint statement explaining their reasons behind the decision to send the emails.

 

Written by Unnati Naidu

To read more football-related articles, click here

Follow Sporting Her on social media:  Instagram // Twitter // Facebook // Youtube

 

Unnati Naidu
+ posts

Doctor, Photographer and Journalist ready to take on the world.

Check out some of our latest articles