MOSCOW, September 18 – Footballer Jennifer Hermoso was not included in the Spanish national team’s squad for the upcoming Nations League matches, according to the website of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

In total, the list of 23 players included 15 football players who became winners of the 2023 World Cup. The Spanish national team will play against the teams of Sweden (September 22) and Switzerland (September 26) in the Nations League. As part of the tournament, two Olympic licenses for the 2024 Games in Paris will be competed for.

In August, Hermoso found herself at the center of a scandal. During the awards ceremony for the winners of the Women’s World Cup, which took place in Australia and New Zealand, the then head of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, hugged the football player and kissed her on the lips. Many journalists and fans called his actions excessive. The head of the RFEF apologized for his behavior, but the federation convened an extraordinary assembly, during which Rubiales said that he would not resign and was ready to defend himself in court. The disciplinary committee of the International Football Federation (FIFA) has temporarily suspended Rubiales from all football-related activities. Afterwards, the Spaniard left the post of president of the organization. On September 11, the Spanish National Court opened a criminal case against Rubiales.

Earlier, Spanish football players sent a statement to the RFEF, in which they noted that the personnel decisions made – the resignation of Luis Rubiales from the post of head of the RFEF – were not enough. They are calling for a restructuring of the presidential cabinet, communications and marketing, and RFEF’s integrity office. In August, the players of the Spanish national team already made a statement, then they refused to play for the national team if the leadership of the RFEF remained in the same composition.