October 18, (THEWILL) – Spanish striker, Jenni Hermoso, has been named in the national squad for the first time since Spain’s victorious 2023 World Cup campaign. Hermoso scored in the 1-0 win over England in July’s final, but was later involved in a controversial trophy presentation incident with the former Spanish FA president, Luis Rubiales.
After Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips without her consent during the medal ceremony, the striker said she felt “disrespected” by his actions. This sparked protests from Hermoso’s Spain teammates, several of whom vowed not to represent their country whilst Rubiales remained in charge.
Although Rubiales initially refused calls to resign over the matter, he eventually stepped down last month amid the continued backlash and the institution of legal proceedings to force him to account for his actions.
With Rubiales gone, Hermoso has now been recalled to the Spanish squad by new manager Montse Tome for the upcoming UEFA Women’s Nations League matches against Italy and Switzerland. Tome had originally left Hermoso out of her first squad announcement in September, saying she wanted to “protect” the forward from further unwanted attention.
Hermoso’s recall comes as Spain aim to book their spot in the Nations League finals, currently leading their group with maximum points from their opening two matches. Whilst Hermoso is back in the fold, players like Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro remain unavailable as they continue to boycott the national team over the controversial trophy presentation back in July.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
