A monumental World Cup win was set to catalyse a new era of change and growth for women’s football in Spain. However, the team’s phenomenal success was tainted by a non-consensual kiss which dominated international news.
During the celebrations that followed Spain’s 1-0 victory over England, the country’s football federation president Luis Rubiales kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during a jubilant celebration. This was a kiss that Hermoso refers to as ‘unsolicited’, however Rubiales claimed that it was ‘consensual’.
In the aftermath, a global discussion on sexism within women’s football and wider Spanish society rapidly unfolded. Subsequently, there was a tremendous outcry of support as an innumerable number of clubs and players expressed their solidarity with the Spanish team.
The vast majority of the first team coaching staff resigned in protest, except the manager Jorge Vilda. Consequently, 81 players declared their refusal to play for the national team again whilst Rubiales was still in his position.
What happened prior to the World Cup?
The controversy encompassing the Spanish team was nothing new, as an ongoing dispute between the players and manager Vilda had been materialising for multiple years. In 2022, fifteen players (Las 15) emailed the Spanish FA requesting that they be left out of the team selection due to concerns relating to their relationship with their head coach. The concerns stated included injury management and the controlling environment within camp – complaints which have been rebuffed by Vilda.
Fast forward to 2023, three of the fifteen expelled players were named in the World Cup squad – Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey and Ona Batlle. Furthermore, a video clip from the Spanish celebrations appeared to show Vilda snubbed by his players who left him to rejoice alone.
The impact of Spain’s First World Cup Victory:
Following the widespread denunciation after the World Cup Final, Rubiales resigned from his post and is currently awaiting trial for his actions. Due to his ties with Rubiales, Vilda was sacked from his position as Spain’s head coach and was replaced by his assistant Montse Tome. Despite this being perceived as a long-awaited victory for the Spanish players, the appointment of Tome can be considered an unwanted resumption of Vilda’s evidently flawed regime.
In spite of the controversy, Spain’s triumph was an incredible achievement that hoped to accelerate the development of the women’s game. A run of powerful performances saw the team achieve their first World Cup victory, which has etched their names into the history books. These changes aspired to mirror the impact of the Lionesses historic Euro win that ultimately transformed the women’s game in England and paved the way for numerous generations of future Lionesses.
It’s patently clear that the extensive impact of the Euro’s victory cannot be overstated, as the WSL’s total attendance grew flourishingly compared to the season prior. A surge in participation for grassroots football in the UK shows the evolution of the women’s game as increasing numbers of girls are becoming involved with the sport. Additionally, public opinions have shifted dramatically, as the 2022 Euro tournament has enhanced people’s opinions on women’s football. Therefore, the Euro’s win has provoked a cultural change that has shaped the present, as well as the future of women’s football.
However, Spain’s World Cup win failed to have its desired impact, as the unwarranted actions of Rubiales tarnished the publicity surrounding the event. This stole the limelight of the teams’ major achievement which was massively overlooked resulting in a lack of change. This is exemplified by comparing the attendance figures between the Women’s Super League and Liga F – the top tiers of women’s football in each country.
In Liga F, the average attendance for the 23/24 season was 1,504, whilst the WSL’s was over 5,000. This considerable difference clearly shows that further development and investment is required throughout Liga F, which boasts some of the World’s most prominent players. Inevitably, increasing numbers of Spanish players are switching to England’s highest tier due to the heightened competitiveness and record attendances on offer.
Furthermore, there are significant distinctions between the two leagues in terms of competitiveness. This is shown by multiple teams competing for the WSL title with the winner being decided on goal difference in the most recent season. In the WSL, attendance records are constantly being surpassed ,with several clubs playing additional matches at their main stadiums. As a result, revenues are rising exponentially each season which can be utilised for further investment.
Meanwhile Liga F is firmly commanded by Barcelona who finished the 23/24 season 15 points clear of Real Madrid and went unbeaten throughout. This highlights the lack of investment and publicity surrounding the lower-level Spanish teams. Consequently, this lack of investment is a key factor contributing to the lower attendances. This is because the majority of supporters hope to watch a more competitive league such as the WSL, where multiple teams are battling for the coveted title.
In contrast, the minimal impact of Spain’s World Cup win is worlds apart from the huge influence of the Lionesses Euro’s win. The small increase in Liga F attendances from 1,398 in 22/23 season to 1,504 in the 23/24 season shows that further advancements are required. This underpins the effect of inadequate publicity that is visibly struggling to attract large crowds to matches. Despite this,Barcelona’s recent Champions League triumph serves as a stark reminder of the immense talent concealed within Spanish teams.
Looking ahead to the future for the Spanish Team:
Following the World Cup, Spain’s stellar run of impressive performances continued as a strong 2-0 victory against France secured them the inaugural Nation’s League trophy. Therefore, the victors acquired their spot in this year’s Olympic Games where they will be facing off against some of the world’s leading teams. They have also recently earned their place in the 2025 Euros after a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Denmark in qualifying stages.
However, there is still a way to go in this journey of reform as crucial players still haven’t returned to the fold, such as Claudia Pina and María León. This shows that not all of the issues previously mentioned have been addressed by the federation, signifying the need for further change to improve the environment within the Spanish setup.
Ahead of the Olympics, Spain will be hoping to continue their winning legacy as a unified team with the strong determination to finally receive the recognition that they deserve.
