Hermoso responds to 'protection' claim as Spain players double down on boycott

19 September 2023 , 08:53

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Hermoso will play no part in the upcoming internationals (Image: AP)

Jenni Hermoso has questioned Montse Tome's decision to leave her out of the Spain squad for upcoming Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland.

Tome was appointed as the Spain women's national team coach earlier this month following the departure of Jorge Vilda after the World Cup. Former Barcelona midfielder Tome had been serving assistant to Vilda since 2018 and has been now handed the chance to take on the top job by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

However, Tome has made the controversial decision to leave Hermoso out of the squad for her own "protection" following the World Cup kiss scandal involving Spanish GA president Luis Rubiales.

Last week, Rubiales resigned from his post but as many as 20 players in Tome's squad have insisted they are on strike and will not return to action until meaningful changes are made in the RFEF.

Rubiales kissed the 33-year-old on the lips after Spain beat England 1-0 last month - and Hermoso has since filled a legal complaint against the ex-Spain chief. She took to social media to hit out at the decision to leave her out of the squad, which she feels may have come from above the new head coach.

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A statement from Hermoso read: "Protect me from what? Let’s be clear: a claim was made today stating that the environment within the federation would be safe for my colleagues to rejoin yet at the same press conference it was announced that they were not calling me as a means to protect me.

New coach Montse Tome talks during a press conference (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)

"Protect me from what? And from whom? We have searching for weeks – months, even – for protection from the RFEF that never came. The people who now ask us to trust them are the same ones who today disclosed a list of players who have asked NOT to be called up.

"The players are certain that this is yet another strategy of division and manipulation to intimidate and threaten us with legal repercussions and economic sanctions. It is yet more irrefutable proof that shows that even today, nothing has changed.

"I want to show once again my full support to my colleagues who have been caught by surprise and forced to react to another unfortunate situation caused by people who continue to make decisions within the RFEF. This is why we are fighting and why we are doing it in this way."

Kieran King