(Reuters) – Spain coach Jorge Vilda named a 23-player squad for the women’s World Cup on Friday as they look to put their differences aside and focus on the tournament that kicks off next month in Australia and New Zealand.
As many as 15 players had threatened to quit the team as they were unhappy with Vilda’s methods, forcing him to exile them from the squad.
The exiled players complained to the Spanish FA that they were unhappy with the management of injuries, the atmosphere in the locker room, and Vilda’s handling of team selection and training.
But three of the 15 players who were frozen out of the national setup — Mariona Caldentey, Aitana Bonmati and Ona Batlle — were called up to a provisional squad earlier this month before Vilda cut seven to finalise the 23-player roster.
Elene Lete, Jana Fernandez, Fiamma Benitez, Maite Oroz, Inma Gabarro and Marta Cardona failed to make the cut while Sheila Garcia had dropped out of the provisional squad through injury.
Twice Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas missed out on the women’s European Championship last year after injuring her knee on the eve of the tournament but she will have her chance at redemption after returning from injury for Barcelona in April.
She scored Thursday’s 7-0 rout of Panama in a friendly game where Esther Gonzalez grabbed a double. Spain will next play Denmark on Wednesday before flying to New Zealand.
Spain are in Group C and kick off their campaign against Costa Rica in Wellington on July 21 before playing Zambia and Japan.
SPAIN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Cata Coll, Misa Rodriguez, Enith Salon
Defenders: Ivana Andres, Ona Batlle, Olga Carmona, Laia Codina, Rocio Galvez, Oihane Hernandez, Irene Paredes
Midfielders: Tere Abelleira, Aitana Bonmati, Irene Guerrero, Jenni Hermoso, Maria Perez, Alexia Putellas, Claudia Zornoza
Forwards: Mariona Caldentey, Athenea del Castillo, Esther Gonzalez, Eva Navarro, Salma Paralluelo, Alba Redondo.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
