Spain's star was not eclipsed in a month of federative, emotional and judicial shocks. The victory against Sweden reinforced the players who stood up to vindicate JenniHermoso's dignity in the face of the alleged abuse of her boss, former president Luis Rubiales, and who forced themselves to cause changes with the sole objective of feeling professional recognition.
“To those who expected us to lose after this week to continue pointing fingers, I tell you that I'm sorry,” said Mariona Caldentey ironically.. Her penalty goal in added time allowed Spain to beat the number 1 in the world ranking in the most difficult circumstances experienced by these soccer players and with a game praised even by the Swedish coach, Peter Gurhardsson.
It was the best way to show that, on the field, and despite the initial gesture and the banner, they only think about football, “what we know best and want to do,” recalled another of the scorers, Eva Navarro.. Switzerland awaits this Tuesday at the Nuevo Arcángel in Córdoba, another emotional match because it represents the plebiscite of the Spanish fans to all the maelstrom that has occurred since Spain was proclaimed world champion in Sydney.
The federative expedition, reduced in Göteborg to president Pedro Rocha and the women's football coordinator, Rafael del Amo, as members of the management, will be expanded in the Andalusian capital, although there are managers who do not want to get too close to this transition. Meanwhile, the changes demanded by the players are being implemented.
After the resignation of Rubiales, the dismissal of the general secretary, Andreu Camps, was finalized last Wednesday, and on Friday, during the first minutes of the match, the first step to reform the Integrity department was made official with the departure of its head, García Caba. Added to this is the restructuring of the presidential cabinet, which is now headed by Elvira Andrés, and changes remain to be made in the area of communication and marketing, although the hitherto press chief has no longer been in Göteborg, indicated by the statement with words that Hermoso did not pronounce.
Another questioned figure
These changes were urgently demanded by the soccer players last Friday and in the early morning meeting that concluded with the Oliva Pact. But they are not the only ones there will be. The structure of women's football is coordinated by Rafael Del Amo, president of the Navarra Federation, a questioned figure but whose replacement – he does not plan to resign – will not occur.. The elections in the RFEF will be brought forward to the first quarter of 2024 and that will be when their departure will take place.
Previously, he had committed to appointing a person at the head of the sports management who was not compatible with the position of coach, the same structure that the men's team has had for years, before with José Francisco Molina and now with AlbertLuque.. That was the position that Rubiales publicly offered to MontseTomé in the Assembly and for which the current coach applauded, according to her own version.
Tomé's figure remains in doubt, not so much because of that behavior but because of the call for this Nations League and his words, which suggested that his call was consensual.. On the night of Oliva, distrust was maximum and a defeat in Sweden would have precipitated everything.
However, as happened in the World Cup, the players are aware, even more so now, that although some bad results in this group could precipitate their departure, not even good results are going to keep them in office.
«The Government of Spain neither appoints nor removes national selectors. At no time, in any meeting, was the continuity of the coach discussed,” Víctor Francos, Secretary of State for Sports, commented yesterday at a press conference, highlighting the atmosphere that is now experienced as a team. “They are calmer, the situation is more normalized,” he said, after announcing his presence in Córdoba.