15 players threaten to leave the Spain national women's football team if the coach is not fired. CBC Sports

Fifteen female football players are expected to leave the Spain national team on Thursday after the Spanish federation rejected their demand for a change in coaching.

The federation said it had received similar emails from 15 players saying they would leave their places in the team if coach Jorge Vilda was not fired. The federation said that, according to the players, the situation affected their “emotional state” and their health “significantly”.

The federation did not elaborate on the “situation” or name the players who made the demand. According to Spanish media, Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putelas was not among them.

“The federation will not allow players to question the consistency of the national coach and its coaching staff, as it is not their responsibility,” the federation said in a statement. When it comes to game decisions.

“These types of maneuvers are harmful and not within the values ​​of football and the sport,” the federation said.

Spain’s Alexia Putellas during the national anthem before the Arnold Clark Cup match between England and Spain at Carrow Road in Norwich, England. (Harriet Lander/Getty Images)

It noted in its statement that, according to Spanish law, not accepting a call from a national team is considered a serious violation that could prompt sanctions of between two and five years. The federation said it would not seek those sanctions against the players, but would not select them until they “acknowledge their mistake and apologize.”

“It’s more than a sport, it’s an honor,” the federation said. “This is an unprecedented situation in the history of football, both men’s and women’s, in Spain and around the world.”

It said the national team needed “committed players who would proudly defend the colors of the Spanish jersey.”

Vilda told Spanish media that the players had broken some of the changing room codes, but did not elaborate.

The players had said in a recent press conference that they wanted to see some changes in the national team but did not ask for the firing of Wilda.

The president of the federation, Luis Rubiales, is known to be a fanatic and often clashes with other football officials in Spain. Shortly after taking over the federation’s presidency, he fired men’s national team coach Julen Lopetegui just days before the 2018 World Cup because Lopetegui took a job with Real Madrid without informing federation officials in advance.

Vilda took over the women’s national team in 2015 to replace Ignacio Quereda, who was later accused of verbal abuse by some players.

Spain lost to eventual champions England in the quarter-finals of the Women’s European Championship this year.

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