2023-06-12 19:48:15
Jorge Vilda already has a shortlist of 30 players for the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Finally, the coach has opted for a partial reconciliation and recovers four mainstays for the cause: the Barça players Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey, three starters in the recently European champion Barça team, as well as the Manchester defense United Ona Batlle, who will be Barça next season.
The double Ballon d’Or, the cornerstone on which the game of a team with weapons must turn to dream big in the World Cup, was not among the group of 15 rebels who resigned at the time from the team due to their discontent with the Management of Jorge Vilda. She was seriously injured when everything went up in the air, but she made public her support for her companions. The other three major novelties on the list were part of this set, which showed through emails sent to the Spanish Football Federation (FEF) their willingness to be called up, a requirement that the players were asked from Las Rozas to enable their return and try to settle the schism in this way.
“Very happy with the list we have put together. It has been a special season, very hard, which has helped us all to learn. It is a continuation list with the block and with the incorporation of some committed players that make us stronger, “summed up the coach when assessing his choice. “We will talk about those who are there,” he immediately settled when asked about some of the absent, both those who expressed his availability and those who remain in his initial resignation and in his criticism of the coach and his methods.
Among the 15 rebels, the Atlético goalkeeper Lola Gallardo, the Barça defenders Mapi León and Atlético Ainhoa Moraza, the Barça midfielder Patri Guijarro or the forwards of Real Sociedad Amaiur and Nerea Eizaguirre have maintained their initial position. By not sending the requested email to the Federation, they have been left out of the list of selected. In contrast, the Barça goalkeeper Sandra Paños, the América de México defenders Andrea Pereira and Manchester City Leila Ouahabi, the City midfielder Laia Aleixandri and the United attacker Lucía García did convey their desire to return to the national team, but they did not have been chosen by Vilda.
under the spotlight
Despite the partial reconciliation with the backbone of Barça, the schism between the internationals is still far from being completely overcome. The tacit agreement of respect towards the different positions could blow up at any moment and cloud the atmosphere ahead of a World Cup that should be the definitive leap for Spanish women’s football, which in its two previous appearances -Canada 2015 and France 2019 – failed to make it past the round of 16.
Vilda remains under the spotlight after the disappointing quarter-final elimination at the Euro Cup in England last summer and the controversy surrounding her figure threatens to weigh down the performance of a generation of footballers called upon to achieve ambitious goals. “We have been like this for a year. I have not had enough, but I think I have been consistent with everything that has happened. Answering, talking… I would have liked to talk much more about football. Today I see that, except at the beginning, we are talking about football. And that is where the focus has to be, “he said, ensuring that he feels supported.
The next step for the coach will be the announcement of the final list of 23 players who will play in the World Cup. It will take place on June 30, one day after playing the first preparation friendly against Panama in Avilés. Subsequently, Spain will play a couple more games, one of them against Denmark, before making its debut against Costa Rica on July 21. Japan and Zambia will be the other two stumbling blocks in the group stage.
The 30 summoned:
Goalkeepers: Misa Rodríguez (Real Madrid), Elene Lete (Real Sociedad), Enith Salón (Valencia) and Cata Coll (Barcelona).
Defenders: Irene Paredes (Barcelona), Ivana Andrés (Real Madrid), Ona Batlle (Manchester City), Olga Carmona (Real Madrid), Laia Codina (Barcelona), Oihane Hernández (Athletic), Jana Fernández (Barcelona), Rocío Gálvez ( Real Madrid) and Sheila Garcia (Atletico).
Midfielders: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona), Fiamma Benítez (Valencia), Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona), Irene Guerrero (Atlético), Teresa Abelleira (Real Madrid), Claudia Zornoza (Real Madrid), Maite Oroz (Real Madrid), Jenni Hermoso ( Pachuca) and María Pérez (Barcelona).
Forwards: Inma Gabarro (Sevilla), Mariona Caldentey (Barcelona), Esther González (Real Madrid), Alba Redondo (Levante), Athenea del Castillo (Real Madrid), Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona), Eva Navarro (Atlético) and Marta Cardona ( Atlético).
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