The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) are due to receive news on their ultimatum today, which they presented to the striking Spain players, as they continue to hold out following the Luis Rubiales scandal.
Rubiales eventually resigned from his position, while Jorge Vilda was replaced as manager by Montse Tome, who was supposed to announce her Nations League squad for clashes with Sweden on Friday and Switzerland the following Tuesday.
However that was delayed after 39 of the 80 players that had signed Jenni Hermoso’s statement declaring they would not return until there were profound changes at the RFEF, sent a statement claiming they had not seen sufficient changes as of yet. Within that 39 are 21 of the World Cup-winning squad from Australia and New Zealand.
According to Diario AS, the RFEF had given those 39 players an ultimatum – to name people within the Federation that they wanted pushed out and return to the national team, or continue to strike.
The RFEF promised they would be moved out within a month, and Tome will announce her squad at 12:00 CEST or 16:00 CEST regardless of what they decide, and will no doubt have a squad with and without them ready to go. They do not want to have to forfeit those games against Sweden and Switzerland on Friday and Tuesday, which would risk sanctions, expulsion from the Olympics and the Nations League.
Where the players stand on this remains to be seen. One of the perceived issues with the RFEF is that many of Rubiales’ allies and defenders still work within the company, including General Secretary Andreu Camps. If the RFEF cannot find a way to bring back the World Cup-winners back into the side just a month later, it would be an optics disaster for them once again.
