Spain's run to the World Cup final has come despite a continuing rift between head coach and players
“How on earth did they do it?” an international journalist asked in the press box at Auckland’s Eden Park after Spain qualified for the World Cup final with a last-gasp win over Sweden.
To injure her anterior cruciate ligament — a scenario players have nightmares about that seems to be spreading through the women’s game like a plague — was a hard blow.Luck did not go their way. Just as at the 2019 World Cup where they faced eventual champions the U.S. in the round of 16, at the Euros it was England at the same stage — the team that would also go on to win the tournament.That game was key for what was to follow.
These are the ghosts that appear in such matches — affecting many of the same players who had also experienced similar situations in the rounds of 16 at the 2019 World Cup against the U.S. and the 2022 Euros against England. They felt the situation was stagnating and, at the time, saw no option but to do something drastic: resign from the national team until things improved.These were leaked to the media — and the war began
That convinced some players, but it was not enough for seven: Leon, Guijarro, Pina, Gallardo, Moraza, Eizagirre and Sarriegi. Social media has been full of videos of the coach alone, not celebrating goals with his players. This image has been stark at some points — yet after the match against Sweden the players gathered in a circle in the middle of the pitch with the coach in the middle — and the team has shown signs that the problem has not been solved. Estrangement is evident.Sources close to the dressing room toldthat there is still not much communication between Vilda and the players.
On a footballing level, Spain have maintained their idea of the game and have benefited from circumstances that, in part, have favoured progression. Bonmati, who has said on several occasions that big defeats are good for her to learn from, has carried the team. In addition, Vilda has been brave in making the necessary changes, taking the right decisions to revolutionise the team.
They have already been growing up as footballers at professional clubs, with conditions that have allowed them to focus solely on football. We’re talking about Bonmati, Batlle, Coll, Paralluelo, Abelleira…
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