Jenni Hermoso has been left out of the Spanish women’s soccer squad ahead of matches against Sweden and Switzerland, following the World Cup kiss investigation.
The new coach of the women’s team, Montse Tome, said it was to “protect” the Spanish midfielder, who was non-consensually kissed by former Spanish football association (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales after Spain’s victorious FIFA Women’s World Cup Final.
Although Tome said she consulted Hermoso and the players prior to the announcement of the squad selection, Hermoso has said she and others were “caught by surprise” with the decision, criticising the RFEF.
Tome has faced criticism over the decision to exclude Hermoso, as well as her selection of the 15 World Cup winning players who declared they would not play for Spain again until significant organisational changes are made.
The new coach, who took up the position following the ousting of former controversial coach Jorge Vilda, claimed she had spoken to Hermoso prior to selecting and announcing the squad.
“We are with Jenni on everything, and with all the players,” Tome said.
“The best way to protect her is like this. I have worked five years with her.”
¿De verdad Monste Tomé nos intenta hacer creer que la mejor manera de proteger a Jenni Hermoso y apoyarla es dejarla fuera de la convocatoria y, no dejarle hacer lo que mejor sabe hacer, que es competir en los estadios de futbol y defender la camiseta? pic.twitter.com/dGG5YDsaLN
— Maica Travesa 🐈🐱🐾 (@Iratxotravesa) September 18, 2023
Tome said she believed the other players would end their strike to play for their country in the upcoming Nations Leagues matches against Sweden and Switzerland.
“I trust in that the players are professionals, they have just become champions of the world, they love the national team, and I know they will be here with us tomorrow,” she said.
Swiss forward Ana Crnogorcevic, who will play for Sweden against Spain this Saturday, posted on social media condemning the disregard for the players’ strike, “threatening” them to return.
“This is insane… how can you threaten your own players like this… call them to the national team, when they said they want clear changes before they come back!” she wrote in a post on X (Twitter).
“This is soooo disrespectful… clearly they don’t care… and they don’t allow them to make their own decision.”
Last Saturday, Hermoso and 38 other players, including the 15 who represented Spain in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, released a joint statement on social media, reiterating the reasons behind the players’ strike and their demands for Spanish football.
“Today (September 16), as we have transmitted to the RFEF, the changes that have occurred are not sufficient for the players to feel safe in a secure place, where women are respected, there is a commitment to women’s football and where we can give our best performance,” the statement read.
#SeAcabó pic.twitter.com/ggs3lVmWO6
— Jenn1 Hermos0 (@Jennihermoso) September 15, 2023
The players outlined their specific demands, including: restructuring of women’s football organisation chart; restructuring of the presidential cabinet and General Secretariat; resignation of the RFEF President; restructuring of communication and marketing sector; restructuring of the integrity management.
Last week, Luis Rubiales, the man responsible for kissing Hermoso on the lips without her consent following Spain’s World Cup victory, resigned from his post as the RFEF president.
In a statement posted on X, Rubiales said the 90-day suspension from FIFA and the investigations against him has made it “evident that I will not be able to return to my position”.
“I must look forward, look to the future,” he said.
“I have faith in the truth and I will do everything in my power to prevail.”
Hermoso responds: ‘Protect me from what?’
Hermoso responded to Tome’s announcement of the Spanish squad in a statement posted on her social media.
“Let’s be clear: a claim was made today stating that the environment within the federation would be sage for my colleagues to rejoin yet at the same press conference it was announced that they were not calling me as a means to protect me,” the statement read.
“Protect me from what? And from whom?”
Hermoso said her and her fellow players on strike have been demanding for protection within the RFEF for several weeks, protection “that never came”.
“The people who now ask us to trust them are the same ones who today disclosed the list of players who have asked NOT to be called up,” she said.
“The players are certain that this is yet another strategy of division and manipulation to intimidate and threaten us with legal repercussions and economic sanctions. It is yet more irrefutable proof that shows that even today, nothing has changed.”
Hermoso said she fully supports her colleagues, who were also “caught by surprise” with Tome’s selected squad, condemning the decision-makers within the RFEF.
“This is why we are fighting and why we are doing it in this way,” she said.