Spain's Women's Team Under Montse Tomé: A House of Turmoil Amidst Ongoing Strife

While Spain's men's national football team has long been a harmonious unit under Luis de la Fuente, the women's team led by Montse Tomé remains embroiled in ongoing conflicts. Despite their recent World Cup triumph and Olympic setbacks, the women's team continues to face internal strife. The Asturian coach is determined to resolve these issues, recognising that, like the men's coach, harmony is crucial for the team's success.

The Spanish women's team has yet to heal, with the latest turmoil being the absence of key figures, including Jenni Hermoso, who will turn 35 next May. She leads the quest for 'harmony in coexistence'. The Mexican Tigres forward, awarded the Socrates Prize at the Ballon d'Or gala for her role in the 'Se Acabó' movement, is joined by the absences of Irene Paredes, a field leader, and Misa Rodríguez, missing for the second time. Former goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares, speaking on El Partidazo de Cope, likened it to his own experience when Luis Aragonés excluded him, Raúl, and Míchel Salgado after the 2006 World Cup.

The squad selection for upcoming friendlies against South Korea in Cartagena on November 29 and France in Nice on December 3 has sparked controversy. Spain's all-time top scorer posted a cryptic and defiant message on social media: 'Don't sell your soul to the devil'. These matches will prepare the team for the 2025 Nations League qualifiers, a tournament they aim to defend after defeating France in February. The Euro 2024 in Switzerland looms, but none of the three are expected to feature in Spain's future successes due to recent rifts. Montse Tomé does not include players who are not integral to the team. Jenni Hermoso, along with Irene Paredes and Alexia Putellas, are icons of the women's team, pivotal to its success and growth. They are legends who have broken barriers on and off the field. Yet, something is amiss between the coach, the striker, and the Barcelona defender.

In her press conference following the latest squad announcement, the coach spoke of adjustments, camaraderie, and composure. Her words suggest discomfort. She wants her players to contribute both on and off the field, regardless of playing time, as seen in Luis de la Fuente's men's team. 'We haven't given anything away. I'm not saying these players haven't met expectations. I know what I want the team to be and what I like to see, that camaraderie, that composure, and I say it from the heart. Players not present must keep working to be part of the team. We're defining the squad for the Euro.' She cited the men's team as a reference: 'It's a true example of teamwork and coexistence on and off the field. And with all that, they perform.'

'Well, there are things without answers, and now I'm here in a different role, accepting it or not, it's what I have to do,' said Jenni Hermoso in late July after playing against Brazil in the Olympic group stage. The forward, crucial in the last World Cup as the second most-played player, was critical when Tomé left her out of her first squad in September 2023. That turbulent month saw Tomé take charge after Jorge Vilda's departure. She excluded Hermoso to protect her from media noise following the non-consensual kiss from Luis Rubiales, former president of the Spanish Football Federation, during the World Cup celebration. A newly released Netflix documentary addresses this incident and other controversies from the players' perspective.

Tomé has gradually reduced Jenni Hermoso's playing time, diminishing her role until she was excluded from the squad. Lingering issues from the past suggest something beyond sports. 'We've evaluated all players based on performance. We consider what the team needs to perform at the highest level. We've been dealing with an exceptional situation for two years, and from the start, we've been clear about our identity as a team. I have values, a way of being, and a way of playing, and we believe in that. The only path is self-demand,' stated the coach, asserting that everything she does is to regain the 'maximum performance' that crowned them as queens of women's football in Sydney.