Spain coach Montserrat Tome on Nov 19 cited "team spirit" as a reason for the omission of World Cup winners Irene Paredes and Jennifer Hermoso from the squad for friendlies against South Korea and France.
After La Roja won the 2023 Women's World Cup, Luis Rubiales, then president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, forcibly kissed Hermoso during the medal ceremony, provoking a wave of indignation.
Hermoso and Paredes were among several players who appeared in a recent Netflix documentary about the saga.
Spanish media speculated that they were dropped because of what they said in the programme. Tome was asked about their absence at a press conference. "We've been in an exceptional situation for two years now, and when we started, we were very clear about what we wanted to be as a team," the 42-year-old coach said. "I don't want to say that these players weren't up to the job, but I'm clear about what I want the team to be and what I like to see, this team spirit, this know-how." Tome did include Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati, former and current holders of the Ballon d'Or Feminin, who also spoke in the Netflix documentary, in her 24woman squad.
Hermoso, 34, is Spain's all-time leading scorer and second-most capped player, with 123 appearances - four behind Putellas.
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