In July 2023, Spain won the UEFA Women’s World Cup for the very first time. However, this victory was clouded by an act of misogyny that sparked uproar in the women’s football community.
After the presentation of the Champions medals, Spanish international Jenni Hermoso was kissed without her consent by Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation. Although she initially focused on celebrating with her teammates, the truth quickly emerged, dominating the media and sparking questions about the actions of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Recently, Netflix released the documentary ‘Se Acabó: Diario de las Campeonas‘, shedding light on the ongoing challenges faced by the Spanish internationals behind closed doors. This documentary is crucial for understanding the truth behind Luis Rubiales’ controversial kiss following the World Cup victory, a situation that has deep roots and spans many years for the Spanish players. But what is this truth, and how important are these first-hand accounts from the players themselves to provide a realistic insight to their mistreatment?
The Ongoing Issues for the Spanish Women’s National Team:
The documentary reveals that Spain’s challenges began long before the World Cup. Arsenal defender Laia Codina even describes the team entering the tournament as a “broken group,” highlighting a lack of unity. However, several factors contributed to the tensions that plagued the team.
One issue they faced was the actions of head coach, Jorge Vilda. Being only the second manager of the national team since 1988, the players desired changes in the management staff to implement positive change in the team. However, as a close ally of Rubiales it was clear that Vilda’s position was never in question by the RFEF. In the Netflix film, Alexia Putellas added that “he wanted to control everything”, never stopping to think about the players and their wellbeing.
In fact, after winning the World Cup the victory was commended as a personal achievement for both Rubiales and Vilda. Ivana Andres captained the nation during the tournament and could only express how the two of them wanted to seem responsible for the victory, belittling the efforts and commitment of the players themselves. This is just another example of the unacknowledged mistreatment within the camp.
Six days after the World Cup win, Vilda was finally fired from his position, due to his controlling behaviour and outdated methods of coaching. Yet he continued to acknowledge any wrongdoing and continues to support Rubiales in his trial following the allegations against him by the players.
‘Las 15’:
After an early exit in the UEFA Women’s Euros in 2022, the RFEF publicised a claim that fifteen players from the national team had sent identical emails refusing to play under Vilda unless concerns over their health and “emotional state” were acknowledged. These players were categorised as ‘Las 15’; they denied requesting the head coach to be sacked via email, but did encourage questions over the preparation ahead of training and international fixtures by the coaching staff.
Within the documentary, key figures in the national team speak out about their unhealthy relationship with Vilda on the training ground, expressing how he wanted control over them so they would not speak their mind of the true dynamic during camp. Irene Paredes claimed her private messages to Rubiales were leaked to the press. Whilst she requested improvements within the setup of the national team, and more support for her teammates, her demands were twisted when filtered into the mainstream media. The raw emotion in the documentary through her first-hand recollection of the story creates an insight to the constant struggle the team faced.
The players known as ‘Las 15,’ who sent the protest email, included some of the biggest names in women’s football: Mariona Caldentey, Aitana Bonmatí, Mapi León, Laia Aleixandri, and others. Having withdrawn from selection for the provisional World Cup squad, the documentary focuses on the impact of losing these players on the team spirit. Vilda was required to call up young names aiming to make a name for themselves in the national team, but at the expense of some of the most experienced players in the business.
Therefore, these fifteen players who actively chose to boycott the team selection and take a stand against the higher powers of the RFIF and coaching team initiated the doubts surrounding the Spanish team.
A ‘broken’ team:
Arguably the most striking example of the tensions caused by the RFIF is the lack of unity within the national team itself. Whilst ‘Las 15’ chose to speak out about the misogyny and abuse of trust by the RFIF, some Spanish internationals refused to communicate these problems. For example, those playing for Real Madrid at the time did not participate in the original protest; the reasons to why remain unclear. This caused a huge divide in the team, which is discussed in depth in the documentary.
The whole team were affected by the actions of the federation, yet there were tensions amongst teammates throughout the situation. Behind closed doors, most of the players scrutinised the circumstances, yet some shied away from the truth in front of the press or the RFIF. As a collective boycott, many felt those who did not speak out were thinking purely selfishly and putting themselves in a better position of taking a spot in the starting eleven in a major tournament. In Codina’s words, there was “no sense of unity” amongst them: some expressed regret for lacking bravery to stand with their peers at the time, but others merely assured they felt distant from their teammate’s feelings.
This collectiveness will take Spain a long time to regain; however, by simply stepping up and speaking their truth within the Netflix documentary some players are starting to build trust with one another again. It is vital to learn about the individual choices made by players, such as Codina, Paredes and Putellas, through their first-hand experiences in the documentary.
The future of the Spanish national team:
After the World Cup, the players started to speak out and the hashtag ‘Se Acabó’ (translating to ‘It’s all over’) began to grow on social media. The hashtag ‘Se Acabó’ trended immediately, showing a global solidarity and seeking justice for the Spanish players who were subjected to this ongoing mistreatment and injustice. But what exactly does this hashtag mean?
Footage of Rubiales’ actions towards Hermoso, which not only showed him kissing her without consent but also groping her during the medal presentation, was widely shared and sparked a global reaction. However, the RFIF posted press releases that highlighted Hermoso’s body language, almost implying she encouraged Rubiales’ behaviour. He later refused to resign in a shameful press conference, which sparked global uproar. After this, players both past and present decided to take a stance to avoid any further invasions of privacy or disrespect towards the national team. Eighty-one players signed a statement refusing to play for Spain until there was a change in leadership, including the entire World Cup squad. As a result, the hashtag #SeAcabó began to trend.
The Netflix documentary helped shed light on the harsh reality faced by the Spanish players. Through several first-person accounts, the audience learns about the misogynistic and unbalanced environment they endured, with the hope that it will spark a stand against any future mistreatment of the team.
The Future for Rubiales and Vilda:
Shortly after the tournament, the president was forced to resign from his position of power. Next week Rubiales is set to be on trial for sexual assault and coercion, during his time as the president of the RFIF. Spanish prosecutors are arguing Rubiales should face a prison sentence of two years and six months for his misogynistic and abusive behaviour. However, this will all be revealed by the end of the month.
As for Vilda, he is now managing the Moroccan women’s national team. Despite the allegations against him by the Spanish players, the RFIF recommended him for this new role. This decision sparked significant controversy in the media, yet, outrageously, he remains in charge of a women’s national team.
For the Spanish team, Vilda’s assistant coach, Montse Tomé, was promoted to head coach. Despite having little experience, with her qualifications limited to the RFEF’s youth program, she was granted this position of power and leadership. This appointment was met with significant discontent from the players themselves. A cloud of doubt now hangs over the future of the team, a situation that the Netflix documentary has brought to light.
