As a footballer, I had never experienced
anything like that before.
We felt helpless,
and I, at least, was furious
about everything that was going on.
I don't think
they believed in or cared about us.
He always saw us as his little girls.
Fifteen brats throwing a fit
"Girls just play football for fun."
We'd just won the World Cup,
and they ruined it.
The federation saw it as an attack
and came after us.
And that made me so furious.
The first thing I thought was
"It's all over."
IT'S ALL OVER:
THE KISS THAT CHANGED SPANISH FOOTBALL
It's a dream come true
for the whole country!
After 4,788 days,
Spain are world champions again!
Yes!
A lot of people don't know
what really happened.
We couldn't take it anymore.
It was the final straw,
after everything
we'd been through day in and day out.
I was afraid to speak out,
but now I'm ready to tell all.
I think it will be
a hard and painful memory.
I'm not nervous,
but this will be the first time
it'll all be out there. You know?
Were you aware of what happened
at the medal ceremony?
I don't think those of you there were
We didn't realize it at the time.
We were just happy we won the World Cup.
We were planning on
celebrating big-time, non-stop,
which was what should've happened.
But that wasn't the case, and that hit us
DEFENDER
gradually, in the aftermath.
Spain has made history.
As of today, they are
Women's World Cup champs
the best World Cup ever, and Spain won
There was controversy
at the medal ceremony
The president of the football federation
was congratulating the players.
When he got to Jenni Hermoso,
he kissed her on the mouth.
A peck between two friends celebrating
I don't have time for this bullshit.
And I don't wanna hear
about what those buzzkills think.
I'm just happy I could celebrate
by giving one friend a peck.
-I gave another friend
-Of course!
-Hey, I agree with you.
-This is ridiculous.
-It was no big deal.
-It was just lips. No tongue, Christ.
Just good vibes, happiness, sheer joy
After what happened
MIDFIELDER
it feels like
our World Cup win was overshadowed
and, well, tarnished.
KISS SPARKS GENDER-VIOLENCE CONTROVERSY
Luis Rubiales's behavior was unacceptable.
It snowballed.
The media frenzy kept growing,
and we knew this was going to be big.
making global headlines.
The Luis Rubiales case
All right! Let's celebrate.
We just won the World Cup!
The players should enjoy
the moment. Take care
They eclipsed our accomplishment.
After all our hard work and effort,
they stole it from us.
FEDERATION PRESIDENT 2018-2023
He honestly thinks he did nothing wrong.
He doesn't see any harm in what he did
After the finals,
I was waiting for my luggage
at baggage claim in the Madrid airport
JOURNALIST, COPE RADIO
when Relevo broke the story
on how Luis Rubiales pressured
Jenni Hermoso and her family.
That changed everything.
People from the federation
were putting a lot of pressure on Jenni,
and I saw it with my own eyes.
They asked her to say
that it didn't bother her,
that it was no big deal.
They wanted to downplay it
to protect the president.
If that meant
throwing Jenni under the bus,
then so be it.
It felt like we were being forced
to forget or cover up what happened.
"We'll talk about what happened
once the celebrations are over."
"Everyone deserves to celebrate."
This is for you!
We definitely weren't relaxed.
A general feeling of distrust
was starting to set in.
We were caught between
the euphoria of winning the World Cup
and this feeling
that all hell was about to break loose.
World champions!
The head coach was acting
like nothing had happened.
It was weird. The whole thing was.
Does the kiss controversy bother you?
We're world champs, right?
It's all too much right now.
-It was wrong.
-What about?
After all that was over,
we went to the hotel.
Then we went to Ibiza.
When we got there,
it was clear our celebrations were, well,
actually going to be a nightmare.
They called and talked to Jenni
all the time.
Jenni told me, "I can't take it anymore.
They won't stop."
She started crying. I said,
"It's okay. Just forget about it.
Let's move on. Let's have some fun."
They kept calling, asking her
to meet with someone from the federation.
It's almost like they'd sent us to Ibiza
to keep Jenni nearby, right?
I didn't know what happened in Ibiza
until Jenni told me
later on.
AUGUST 2023
FEBRUARY 2024
I think most of you had no idea.
Two people who were with me knew,
but no one else on the team knew.
A bunch of us were there.
Remember when we had lunch?
-At the hotel.
-That's when it all started.
Rubn from Marketing gave me
the phone number of
the person from the Integrity Office
and told me
-We were having lunch.
-Yeah.
I remember.
He told me I had to hop on a video call
and say what happened and explain
that it was nothing.
Just a result of all the joy and euphoria.
He wanted me to say that
so they could put it in a report.
-Right.
-And I was like, "No."
"I don't get what's going on."
He insisted on giving me the phone number.
I was like, "Rubn, I'm eating lunch."
Then he insisted I talk to Albert Luque,
saying that he was my friend
and that I could talk to him.
And you know
how close I was with Albert Luque.
ALBERT LUQUE: CAN WE TALK REAL QUICK?
AFTER EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH,
YOU CAN'T TALK FOR TWO MINUTES?
JENNI HERMOSO: TYPING
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.
I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND
Then he guilt-tripped me, like,
"I've done so much for you."
Yeah, right. As if getting you a table
at a restaurant is on the same level
as forcing you to say something
that you don't believe or that isn't true.
And then, while we were still there,
he went and texted my friend Ecu.
ALBERT LUQUE: GOOD MORNING, ECU
I THINK WHAT THEY'RE DOING
TO LUIS IS SO UNFAIR
They tried to get Jenni's friend
to convince her
to do something. To give in, basically.
JENNI'S ATTITUDE IS REALLY DESPICABLE
As if their lives were at stake.
I JUST HOPE SHE GETS WHAT SHE DESERVES
All of this was going on while
we were supposed to be celebrating
our World Cup win.
I had no idea at the time.
Later, when we found out, I felt bad.
Without actually saying it at the time,
you were crying out for help.
And we were just like,
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
"Celebrate. You deserve it.
You crushed the World Cup."
I remember that when we were all sitting
on the bus, together, after we won,
I started crying.
Next to you.
FEBRUARY 2024
JULY 2023 - WORLD CUP
NEW ZEALAND
Look, here's Alexia.
But she's changed a bit.
We were like, "Australia and New Zealand?
Sun, sea, surfing"
August 2nd. I can't believe this.
We were stuck in some industrial park,
with gray skies and rain every day.
Our hotel was far from the big cities,
where the other teams were staying.
But then, at the opening match,
with all the fireworks
and the packed stadium
It was like,
"Wow, we're really here. This is it."
And in sports,
the Women's World Cup has begun.
The best Women's World Cup of all time.
-The stands are packed.
-Packed. That's fantastic
The 2023 World Cup solidified
women's football as a spectator sport,
but, at the time,
Spain was going through a unique crisis.
Fifteen players turned down
the national team.
VILDA IN THE SPOTLIGHAND THE PLAYERS, DIVIDED
THE 15
A scandal rocks the women's national team.
Fifteen players turned down the team
and drew a line in the sand.
They refuse to join the team
as long as Jorge Vilda is the head coach.
No one could have imagined
that some of the best in the world,
not just Spain, but the world,
wouldn't play in the World Cup.
But it happened.
Players who should be
in this World Cup are not participating.
I think the biggest blow
to the Spanish team is Patri Guijarro.
-Patri Guijarro and Mapi Len.
-Sandra Paos really stands out
TEMPERS FLARE BEFORE WORLD CUP
There were many changes
to the starting 11. It was up in the air,
but then Jenni Hermoso came back.
So did Irene Paredes.
Alexia Putellas, the two-time Ballon d'Or.
Aitana Bonmat,
the best female footballer in the world.
I was concerned about
how certain players would react
to suddenly being in leadership roles.
It would've been
the first time. That's hard.
We'd really been struggling.
Plus, among us young players,
there were some that had never played
in a big tournament before.
We were all like, "Bring it on."
We're heading into this World Cup
at a serious disadvantage.
Personal relationships have broken down,
and it's up to Jorge Vilda
and the coaching staff to rebuild them
Well, it's not news to anyone,
but they always say
super tight-knit teams are
the ones that succeed.
There are no cracks.
Honestly, that wasn't the case for us.
In my mind, the team was fractured.
There was no sense of unity. None.
The team split in two,
and we had to make a whole new team.
I was captain, and, of course
some folks weren't happy.
-We'll fight!
-As a team!
Let's win it all! Go, Spain
Jorge Vilda had to make it work somehow.
Good morning, Vero Boquete.
I wasn't sure if she was going to play,
but, looking at all our players,
it's safe to say this year has been tough.
And I think Ivana
was in a difficult position too.
She had never started
for the national team.
Then she was made captain
for the World Cup,
where her role was to fully support
the head coach,
the staff, and the federation.
They wanted her to do something
she'd never done before,
be the starting center-back
for the national team.
the head coach, Jorge Vilda,
and the team captain, Ivana Andrs
That was Jorge Vilda's strategy.
There were players that stood by him,
and he rewarded them
with the captain's armband.
However, in the locker room,
the natural leaders were Irene Paredes,
Jenni Hermoso, and Alexia Putellas.
A lot of the time,
I felt out of place, because, well,
they had historically been,
and still were, the team captains.
As captains,
we never saw our role
as blindly following the coach
even when it conflicted
with the players' needs.
And that's fine, but that is
what the coach wanted from his captain.
I don't want to be captain
in that dynamic.
We understood that we were there
to give 100% alongside our teammates,
and they saw it that way too.
Train, give 100%, and try to win.
GROUP STAGE - 2023 WORLD CUP
We've got goose bumps
before Spain's 2023 World Cup debut.
Spain is back to play
in another world championship.
Their group is fairly easy,
especially Zambia and Costa Rica.
They should beat both teams
before facing Japan.
The first match is always tough,
because of the nerves.
But we also had
all the stress from that year.
A long cross from Salma,
over to Aitana. She shoots
Aitana Bonmat's first shot on goal.
Against Costa Rica,
Aitana made it clear
that she'd be Spain's key playmaker.
Aitana Bonmat
What a goal. I hope she plays like that
the whole tournament.
And she scored
Spain's first goal of the World Cup.
-The first was an own goal.
-That doesn't count.
"That doesn't count."
Then, in the game against Zambia,
Alexia Putellas had her first start.
We all wanted Alexia back because,
at the end of the day, she was the leader.
Alexia!
We scored again.
Alexia got the assist
for one of Jenni Hermoso's goals.
Great, Alexia. She sends a cross
Jenni scores!
We'd been doing that for years,
so it was like,
"Cool, we did it
in a World Cup too. Check."
Jenni Hermoso was outstanding,
MVP of the match.
We tossed Jenni in the air
not only because she crushed it
but also because we love her.
The Costa Rica and Zambia matches were
a preview of what Spain was capable of.
Then we faced Japan.
SPAIN - JAPAN
Japan was our rival.
History speaks for itself.
They'd beaten us in past championships.
This was going to be
Spain's first real test of the World Cup.
If we beat Japan,
we'll be first in our group.
Spain has a superior team.
What do you want me to say?
That was tough.
We all felt helpless.
We didn't know what to do.
We were out of ideas.
We couldn't find the answer.
We couldn't turn that match around.
We were outplayed.
We felt helpless, frustrated.
They trounced us.
buries it in the upper 90
I felt every goal.
I hadn't felt like that in a long time.
We needed someone to tell us
how to stop all those goals.
We needed new tactics
because what we were doing wasn't working.
We needed help but didn't get it.
It was pretty common for
the head coach to not have any solutions.
We lost 4-0, right?
What a horrible match.
That was one of the players' demands.
They wanted more help and support
from the head coach. That didn't happen.
The result was the same.
We weren't playing on the same level
as the best teams out there.
Now that the group stage was over,
we had to win or we were going home.
That shot in the 67th minute
That match really affected us.
Japan is thrashing Spain.
We, the veteran players,
were having dj vu all over again.
We made it past the group stage
but expected to ultimately get eliminated.
We had been feeling like that for a while,
like that was an impossible obstacle.
In the final rounds of big tournaments,
we always got eliminated.
JULY 2023 - WORLD CUP
JULY 2022 - EUROS
And in sports,
Spain was sent packing at the Euros.
Vilda's team suffered a spectacular loss
against England in the quarterfinals.
There aren't many positive takeaways
from this tournament.
Plenty of disappointment.
Spain is out of the Euros.
But this match could be a turning point
for the national team.
England was the stronger team
and played better in the final minutes.
You could tell we were exhausted
Honestly, our offensive game
THE HOURS GO BY AND THAT LOSS STILL HURTS
The Euros were
a turning point for our team.
We all knew something had to change.
We couldn't keep playing like that.
GROUNDHOG DAY
We had the world's best players,
but we needed someone to show us the way.
We had the same expectations as last time
and the time before that, zero.
More than ten years had gone by
and we hadn't won anything,
not even a game of marbles.
We had no chance
against other countries, you know?
People weren't committed.
The federation lacked structure.
So, we were like, "What do we do?"
As captains, we represented the players,
so we decided to tell the federation
what we thought we needed
in order to perform better.
First we spoke to the head coach.
We said we were going to tell
the president about the situation.
Rubiales got mad, upset
RUBIALES: HI, IRENE!
I'M BEING POLITE HERE, BUT I'M SHOCKED
IN ALL MY YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN
FELLOW FOOTBALLERS CALL THE PRESIDENAND ASK HIM TO FIRE A COACH
We didn't ask for a new coach
because that wasn't our place.
We just wanted the situation to improve.
IRENE: THERE'VE BEEN SERIOUS ISSUES
IN THE LOCKER ROOM FOR A WHILE
WE TRIED TO COVER THEM UP
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REPLACE ANYONE
This is the whole conversation.
The one that made headlines?
Yes.
-Verbatim?
-Verbatim.
I was floored. That was
our private conversation, just between us.
He was gunning for us.
When the players asked him
for better working conditions,
he took it as an act of defiance.
Luis Rubiales felt like
he was being challenged
JOURNALISso he punched back.
That had never happened
with the men's team.
They could speak to him directly.
And they would ask Luis Rubiales
for things all the time.
You gotta do this for me, Rubi.
You gotta make this sh*t happen.
Dude, I'd be so f*cking psyched
to play in the Olympics.
When it came time for bonuses,
they'd squeeze him
and even ask him for watches.
RAMOS: BUMP MY PAY LIKE WE SAID
OR THERE'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM
RUBIALES: WE'LL FIND MIDDLE GROUND
FOR THE SEMIS AND FINALIZE
RAMOS: DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE HUBLOT WATCH
RUBIALES: FINE, I'LL GET YOU
THE DAMN WATCH TOO, JESUS
It felt like the federation only had
a women's team because they had to.
They didn't believe in or care about us.
The other teams
had been chartering flights for years.
We didn't want that.
We wanted decent flight times
so we could rest the day before a match
in order to play well. That's it.
It was very basic stuff.
In between matches,
there were five-hour bus rides.
We didn't have our own locker room.
There was one gym, for the boys,
and we didn't have access
even if they weren't there.
Many issues.
2022 - EUROS
2015 - FIRST WORLD CUP
When I joined the team in 2015,
the head coach had been there
for more than 25 years, I think.
He hadn't won a tournament.
HEAD COACH 1988-2015
We're very hopeful,
very excited, obviously,
about our girls playing
in their first World Cup.
It was as if we were his young daughters.
He'd pinch our cheeks
or love handles. He'd pinch those too.
He'd make h*m*, vulgar comments.
"What you need is a good"
"a good man" or "a good c*ck."
Any questions?
Whenever we bring up that era,
that's what we talk about.
But the strategy sessions
with the whiteboard are what I remember.
He drew 12 players, instead of 11.
On multiple occasions,
not just once or twice.
We were younger
back when we were starting out,
but some of the stuff
we went through back then
Think about it.
Well, you weren't around
Wait, that was
right when you were called up, at 19.
In fact, I went to the Euros in Sweden.
They were in Sweden that year
And then our first World Cup ever.
He'd draw those 12 players on the
I just remembered
the thing about you and the bullfighter.
The coach had a nephew
that was a bullfighter--
Yeah, he really wanted
me to date his nephew.
So, do people not offer
their guests drinks in Mexico or?
-Like a glass of water?
-Someone else is coming, but, sure.
-Lemonade?
-Lemonade.
Lemonade, it is.
That trip to Canada, with the jet lag
We flew to Canada,
and literally 24 hours later,
we played in Spain's first-ever match
in a Women's World Cup.
That's how much we prepared.
-Did you make this?
-You bet I did.
Remember that intra-team scrimmage
on the turf field?
There was no real preparation.
-None.
-None.
They basically said,
"Well, let's see how far"
Yesterday, Quereda submitted
his letter of resignation to the RFEF.
Jorge Vilda, the head coach
of the U19 team,
is now the new head
of the women's national team.
He was completely unqualified.
He was coach for seven years and didn't do
anything special for the team.
He joined the federation
through his father, ngel Vilda,
who was very close with Rubiales.
Jorge became head coach
thanks to his connections.
I remember asking questions
about applying defensive pressure,
and he didn't know what to say.
He'd say things like, "Don't worry.
We have Plan A, B, C, and D."
We'd look at each other, like,
"Do you know about these plans?"
That was the most frustrating part,
the lack of solutions.
I'd like to mention Jorge.
He's doing a terrific job,
and I learn a lot from him.
As the head coach
of the national team he's fantastic.
SEVEN YEARS IN CHARGE
AND NEVER MADE IT PAST KNOCKOUT STAGES
The federation announced
it will renew Jorge Vilda's contract
as women's head coach for two more years.
That was unprecedented.
Who hires and fires coaches?
The sports director.
And he was the sports director.
So he was his own boss.
Therefore, Rubiales was
the only person that could fire him.
It was completely absurd.
"Your contract has been extended."
Then he'd shake his own hand. Understand?
-Why won't he leave?
-'Cause he's also the sports director.
He's the head coach
and master of women's football.
And because, with all due respect,
where would he go?
Jorge was in charge of everything.
He wanted total control.
He had to know about every article,
every interview with a player
If we were going to go out for a bite,
he had to know who we were meeting.
One time, when the bus stopped for gas
and we went in to buy stuff,
he had to check what we bought.
It was common knowledge
that he'd come by our rooms at night
because he thought
that was a good time to talk.
The fact that he'd come into our rooms
when we were in bed
It was really uncomfortable.
He knew that he was a mediocre coach.
Imagine being put in charge of a team
full of demanding players.
You'd be afraid
they'd talk behind your back.
Hence, all the control.
JULY 2022 - EUROS
AUGUST - 11 MONTHS
BEFORE THE WORLD CUP
It's 11:34 a.m. There's been major uproar
at the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
They described it as "impudent"
and a futile act of rebellion
When we spoke
to the president after the Euros,
we assumed we'd discuss
what could and couldn't be improved.
But he didn't like many of our ideas.
They said things weren't going to change.
Rubiales is temperamental.
He reacted like we were attacking him.
And after that well, the rest is history.
Today we've been told the captains
and key players have requested
the immediate removal
of head coach Jorge Vilda.
That would destroy the chain of command.
The president, the situation
I had just had surgery,
and someone sent me a story.
The headline was, "Bara's Captains"
Bara, not the national team.
"call for Jorge's head,"
or something like that.
On behalf of the squad,
we the captains have conveyed
how the players feel to both Jorge
and the federation. That's all.
They asked you for his head?
They want him gone?
Well, if that's your takeaway
Regardless, if someone tells you, "This is
what we think. Now, do something"
Irene Paredes has been singled out
as the ringleader
in the crusade against Vilda.
We couldn't believe
how they publicly displayed
so much anger and hatred
towards their own employees.
It was obvious that we had started a w*r,
in which we were this small
and they were this big.
TRAINING CAMP
FOR THE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
At the first training camp,
they completely ambushed us,
because of the leaks that had happened.
So we arrived,
ate lunch, and had a meeting.
At the time, we were a united front.
We wanted to make sure
we each voiced our opinions
and showed them
that we no longer trusted them.
We had to show the staff how we all,
not just three or four people, felt.
That meeting was
intense.
The chairs were set up in a circle,
and we were like, "Yikes."
A really tense situation.
First, we were asked if we still
wanted to represent our country.
We were sitting in front of
someone that was going to call us up
depending on what we said.
He justified himself,
saying he'd done so much for us,
for women's football.
I said, "That's fine, Jorge.
But, given the situation, we need more."
He felt really attacked.
Then more of us said our piece,
but many players kept quiet.
They didn't say a thing.
In fact, a few
spoke
but contradicted the message
we'd agreed on before the meeting.
I swear that I was sitting there,
and my gut was telling me,
"Ivana, you have to speak up."
But some players had very radical stances,
like, "I can't take this anymore."
I said to myself,
"There is way too much at stake here,
and I can't miss the World Cup."
I believe I was in a very unique situation
since I had just joined the national team.
And I don't want to openly share
my opinion for this documentary.
Then the meeting ended,
and I didn't speak.
At the time, I was upset
that many players didn't speak up.
We all felt the same way.
I admit I made a mistake
in not speaking up earlier.
If I had, those players would've gone
into the meeting knowing
that not everyone was on the same page.
I thought it was
I don't know how to put it nicely.
disrespectful towards
the rest of the team.
I saw those meetings
as a way of creating deeper rifts.
Until I could see
that they were genuinely invested in us
and would give us what we needed
to thrive as professional players,
I wasn't going to come back.
"I hereby inform you that,
due to the recent developments
within the Spanish national team"
"of which you are already aware,
my emotional state and physical health
have been significantly affected."
"Thus, I currently do not see myself as
an eligible player for our national team"
"That is why I request not to be called up
until this situation is rectified."
"I am more than willing"
"to find a solution
that is best for the national team."
SEND
Fifteen of us sent that email,
plus the three captains' support.
So, 18 in total.
Could 18 people all be wrong?
We sent it at 7:00 a.m.,
and it made headlines
in less than half an hour.
The conclusion, it had been leaked.
This whole thing is sad.
Ladies and gentlemen,
there has been a rebellion
on the women's national team.
This is honestly shameful.
I think they've lost their minds.
No one was better at mudslinging
than the Spanish Federation
under Luis Rubiales.
It was a lost cause.
I believe Rubiales is right
in not giving in to this extortion
I can't believe 15 players would walk away
over something so trivial.
Fifteen, I hate to say it,
brats throwing a fit
There's a rebellion
within the women's national team.
It was the top story everywhere
They don't want to play under Vilda.
"The 15" were everywhere. The radio
It's absurd.
There could be suspensions.
If you're called up, you have to play.
Turning down the national team
is never a tantrum.
If you've been picked and don't show up,
you run the risk of getting suspended.
For multiple years.
There was growing scrutiny
over who sent it. The names were leaked.
Patri Guijarro, Mapi Len,
Aitana Bonmat, Sandra Paos
And then they started questioning
the players' psychological state.
and I quote,
their "emotional state and physical health
have been significantly affected."
I think it's complete nonsense
Making that kind of decision is hard when
your dream is being on the national team.
We were anxious, thinking that,
in a month, we may get called up
It was really stressful. I couldn't sleep
I got help,
and that allowed me to heal a bit,
but then I made peace with the situation.
If it meant missing a World Cup
or never coming back, then so be it.
If you decide not to play
for the national team,
you give up so much.
Not just the dream of wearing
your country's jersey in a World Cup.
It's the visibility, the money,
putting yourself on the world stage
And that was
really tough for me, mentally.
HEALTH? YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVE
WHAT A BUNCH OF CRYBABIES
DON'T COME BACK
BETTER OFF WITHOUT THEM
f*ck OFF, EXTORTIONISTS
I had reached my breaking point.
I was frustrated, anxious, stressed
AITANA BONMAT FEMINAZI
FEMINAZI AND TRAITOR
WOMEN ATHLETES ALWAYS CAUSING A SCENE
I asked myself, "Is this normal?"
Wouldn't it make more sense
for the president
to bring both sides together again
and find a solution?
-No.
-You won't do that?
No. I'm not going to do that
because I already did.
A decision has been made.
But can Spain go to the World Cup
without the best player in the world,
Alexia Putellas?
I won't name names.
I think the national team needs
players that are proud to wear the jersey,
and unless there is a bigger issue
THE NATIONAL TEAM - THE 15
The 15 players left,
and so did the captains.
And Jorge Vilda
had to call up other players.
They wouldn't have been called up
if there hadn't been 15 open spots, right?
It felt contradictory.
I play for Bara,
alongside most of the players
that refused the national team.
Then I got a call from Jorge Vilda.
He asked if I want
to join the national team,
and I knew I was about to make a decision
many of my teammates wouldn't like.
In order to win a big tournament,
sometimes it's not about having
the best players.
Maybe we need other key qualities.
And now we have those on our team.
First, unwavering commitment
to the jersey.
AVERAGE AGE OF 23
You could hear the spite in Vilda's voice
whenever he spoke about
the players that turned down the team.
It sounded like we had to win
to rub it in their faces.
I wanted to win
because the World Cup was coming up.
I'm sure many of you are wondering
how the World Cup will go
if we go into it without those 15 players
who are some of the best in the world.
I was thrilled to be there,
but I felt bad, like,
"I don't want to be here
just because others won't go."
I never wanted to hurt my friends.
They are both friends and teammates.
I was a benchwarmer for Bara,
and I was at a personal
and professional low point.
I was honestly feeling terrible.
So making the national team
made me feel like a footballer.
Well, I was scared about
losing people that I loved,
about them thinking
I was just being selfish.
I want them to understand
that this was a very hard decision.
When the final call-up
for the World Cup was approaching,
I had this realization.
"We're only hurting each other,
and, in theory,
we should all want the same thing."
So, one Sunday, I went to Madrid
and asked to meet with Rubiales.
7 MONTHS BEFORE THE WORLD CUP
I think they expected me to say,
"Jorge can't be the head coach."
No, I had already told them
that wasn't the problem.
The problem was the mindset.
And then we got to work.
I think the third point on the agenda was
"Try to convince
the other players to change their minds."
Although they weren't willing
to make all the changes we asked for,
their attitude had changed.
So I said to myself,
"Aitana, you gave it your best shot."
"Maybe you can get more done
from the inside."
So I decided to go back.
And we went to the World Cup,
feeling very assured.
REQUESTS: TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION
They signed off
on the family support plan,
and a lot of families decided to come.
That was the only way I'd be able to go.
"Let's take the whole team
and give it our best."
They had an edge, the upcoming World Cup,
and they knew that was our weak spot.
Ultimately, of the 15 who took a stand,
only seven of us remained.
It's over!
This round-of-16 match is over. Spain
5-1 against Switzerland.
A historic day
for Spanish women's football
We thought they wouldn't come back
from their loss to Japan. We had started
We needed to get our rhythm back
after that tough loss the other day.
And we were all fixated on
past performances.
For the first time ever,
Spain has made it to the quarterfinals.
These players had never made it
past a knockout stage in a big tournament,
so I think they're ready
to give it their best shot.
Without a doubt, Jorge has found
his starting lineup for the World Cup,
with Aitana Bonmat
as captain, leading the way.
Spectacular.
I'm thrilled we've made it
to the quarterfinals. We've made history.
And we discovered the center-back duo,
Irene Paredes and Laia Codina.
Ivana was benched
because Laia Codina proved
to be a natural center-back.
Hello and welcome.
These are the quarterfinals
of the Women's World Cup.
Spain is ready to keep making
We played well in the first half,
had chances, but no goals.
As a defender, all I could think was,
"Please, just score."
It was a crazy match.
Alba Redondo hit the post twice.
There were two VAR checks.
It was a hard-fought match.
In the first half, I got hit in the face.
And there's nothing I hate more
than having to ask for a sub.
Jorge called me over to sub in.
I was so nervous.
I went onto the field
She shoots Spain gets a penalty kick!
Good call, Frappart!
Spain gets a PK!
Mariona shoots
I remember screaming
at the top of my lungs
to celebrate
Mariona's goal in the 80th minute.
And I thought there was
no way they could lose.
Van der Gragt in the box.
She shoots. Netherlands score.
But suddenly, Van der Gragt scored
in the 91st minute, in stoppage time.
Wow, what a goal.
She placed that perfectly.
"If they score again, we're out."
Janssen moves past the pressure.
The ball's played back
Ivana Andrs clears it.
A game-saving clearance
by Real Madrid's center-back.
It was an incredible save.
That goal would've changed everything.
I said, "If we survive this,
we'll win it all."
Great pass from Jenni to Salma Paralluelo.
She's pushing into the box, finds space
-Let's go.
-Spain scores!
SPAIN 2 - 1 NETHERLANDS
On to the semis.
Let's go!
Well, as you can see,
we were emotional wrecks.
It really hit us
that we were finally getting closer
to the goal we'd been fighting to achieve.
Twenty-four hours until
the national team's biggest match ever,
the semifinals against Sweden,
who Spain has never beaten before.
Updates to the starting 11,
Olga Carmona and Alexia Putellas.
Cata Coll will be in goal
You've been
through all kinds of struggles,
the good, the bad, injuries
and now you're here,
facing the greatest challenge
and opportunity of your lives.
Who has more heart, us or them?
-Do you remember that pep talk?
-Yes.
Honestly, I felt so embarrassed.
Alexia, who fights harder, us or them?
I can't hear you.
-We do.
-Come on.
-We do!
-We do.
Having the president around every day
was new for us.
That's normal for the men's team,
but not so much for the women.
-Do you remember what he asked you?
-No.
Aitana, who's smarter, us or them?
-We are.
-What was that?
-We are!
-That's right.
It went in one ear and out the other.
Who has
bigger ovaries, us or them?
-We do!
-Louder, damn it!
-We do!
-Okay.
The match begins.
Sweden has first possession. The pass
We knew the World Cup finals
were on the line.
The tension, the nerves
It was a closely contested match.
In the first half,
they were really well organized.
-We just couldn't score.
-So frustrating.
Sweden shoots!
Rolf shoots! Great save by Cata Coll,
shutting down Sweden's first goal.
It was a clean shot
Olga Carmona with the great interception.
That gave Laia Codina plenty of time,
not taking any risks.
Jennifer Hermoso with the cross.
Let's see
-Nice!
-Goal!
Salma Paralluelo scores again!
If we're dreaming, then don't wake us up!
In the 80th minute, another goal
from the player from Zaragoza!
"That's it. I mean,
they're not going to score on us now."
"There's no way."
Asllani has the ball
Unbelievable. Sweden scores.
"No way. We just scored."
"Extra time again?
Down to the wire again?"
With the score tied 1-1
in the final minutes,
it was anyone's game.
It could've gone either way.
And I'd say, about a minute later,
or on the very next play,
we got a corner kick.
We saw Olga wide open
at the edge of the box.
I knew Olga tended to be out on the edge,
and if I could get her the ball,
she was always an option.
Olga Carmona lines up the shot.
She shoots
-Goal!
-Let's go!
This match has been absolutely epic!
Spain is so close
to their first-ever World Cup final.
Well, this one really gave me goose bumps.
As a defender, you don't expect
to score a goal in a World Cup.
We brought our off-field connection
into the match,
and it got our country into the finals.
Imagine how that felt.
We're really close.
We were doubly happy because, honestly,
we deserved it after the year we had.
We had really suffered,
but it was starting to be worthwhile.
Sar perch ti amo
We couldn't believe it. We made it
to the finals, after the year we had.
We were asking ourselves,
"How is that possible?"
Hell yeah!
We did it. We made it
to the f*cking World Cup finals.
We said to ourselves,
"We're the ones that made it."
This team has left me speechless.
Let's go!
We were getting to experience
what so many players had fought for
and had tried to achieve,
even though the so-called system
wouldn't let them.
At that moment, many of those players were
at home, on the couch,
and they were able to feel some relief.
So, that really touched me.
We are here today.
We all grew up thinking
this wasn't our place.
The press conference
was the time to speak out,
and many people were listening.
Football is our favorite sport,
and we're tired
of watching it from the outside.
It's like we're always asking for things
that they think we don't need.
If I'm gonna play,
I need to train like they do.
-Do you have to deal with lots of jokes?
-Yeah, and pretty awful stuff.
I want to erase that feeling.
I don't want people today,
especially girls,
to feel like they're
playing a sport that isn't theirs.
WE GREW UP THINKING
FOOTBALL WASN'T OUR PLACE
We knew we'd worked hard.
We had been waiting for this for years,
waiting for this match for a long time.
You know that opportunities like this
only come once in a lifetime.
Holy f*cking sh*t.
Jesus Christ, this is amazing!
-Superstar.
-Hey!
Our hard work paid off.
I'd like to talk about Jorge Vilda.
We've been through so much.
It's a shame
that even his personal life
was under scrutiny.
He's an honest, incredibly talented man.
We weren't surprised he said that.
We've rebuilt this team,
keeping the most dedicated players.
Other players deserved to be there.
And the reason why
still makes me sad.
RUBIALES WAS RIGHT ABOUT VILDA
And that's when they started
to steal their thunder.
JORGE VILDA'S WORLD CUP
It became Rubiales's personal victory.
"I created this."
"I invested more in women's football."
"I kept Jorge Vilda on
when four spoiled brats
were demanding I fire him."
In his mind,
the two of them had been challenged,
so Vilda's win became his as well.
It was their way of saying they'd won.
Spain had forgotten about
many of us players who had fought
for all the improvements that were made.
It was tough. To be so close, yet so far.
That's a hard pill to swallow.
I'd been on the team for a long time,
dreaming of that moment.
Instead, I was at home.
Not because I chose to be,
but because I was standing up
for something I believed in.
Period.
It f*cking sucked.
Did you watch the matches?
No.
No, I mean
No, because
it wouldn't have done me any good.
Many players who deserved
to be at the World Cup were not
because they were fighting their fight.
Key figures in Spanish football,
like Sandra Paos,
the starting goalkeeper
for the national team.
She had won the Champions League.
She did send in the letter
to be considered for call-ups again,
but Jorge Vilda decided not to call her.
That was how his ego
and his desire to get back at The 15
manifested itself.
I sent the email stating I wanted to play
in the World Cup, despite my beliefs,
because, professionally,
it could've been my last World Cup.
Did you get a reply?
No.
Not even confirming receipt?
No.
-Hey!
-Hey.
-What's up?
-I'm good, you?
I'm great.
Hey there!
-I already asked her for a drink.
-Right on time.
-How are you?
-Hi.
It's been so long.
-It feels like an eternity.
-I haven't seen you since the World Cup.
Perfect timing.
Perfect timing. You get to cut the onion.
How are you all?
-How's Mexico?
-Honestly, it's great.
-Yeah? Are you happy?
-Really happy.
Those people really know
we won the World Cup.
Did they help you forget
what you went through?
People thank me.
They keep congratulating me
on being a world champion.
Sometimes, I say to myself,
"Holy sh*t. I'm a f*cking world champion."
But that only lasts a split second
'cause I can't really relive that moment.
We're back in this stadium in Australia
to cheer on and share this moment
with the Spanish national team.
An entire nation is rooting for them.
Giant screens were set up
in several cities.
On August 20th,
people put their lives on hold. In Spain.
People on vacation, at the beach
I woke up,
feeling like I had a match to play in.
It was amazing. The stadium was packed.
Spain!
England was the ideal opponent.
We'd faced them
at the start of that very hard year.
We wanted a rematch.
Thirteen months ago, we cried
after losing to England at the Euros.
Today we want to smile
I remember the tunnel
felt like it went on forever.
Longest tunnel ever.
When the ref blew the whistle
and it started, I thought, "Finally."
Spain's doing well.
So far, everything's under control.
We were playing great from the start.
They hit the crossbar once.
She shoots Off the crossbar.
I thought, "Another sign."
We were putting pressure on England,
but we needed a goal.
That was so close.
Irene
Nice cross to Salma
Alba Redondo almost scored
Spain's first goal.
I was about to scream "Goal!"
Alba Redondo came
charging dangerously towards goal
-Long ball from Spain's keeper.
-Great ball from Tere to Mariona.
Olga makes a run
When Mariona gets the ball in that zone,
something's bound to happen.
-Here comes Olga.
-Cross it!
She held the ball for a second or two
before passing it to me.
It felt like slow-motion.
I kept thinking, "Please go in."
Spain scores!
Olga does it again!
The whole country is celebrating with you!
That was the most important goal
I've ever scored.
I was just trying to catch up to her,
but she kept running. She wouldn't stop.
I thought, "Awesome
But we need to score at least two more."
When England started getting closer
and we were still up 1-0
"Please don't score"
This is the World Cup finals,
so it can't be easy.
Penalty! It's a penalty for Spain!
Penalty for Spain!
And we thought,
"Wow, if she scores, it'll be 2-0."
That's how you crush them mentally.
The eyes of the nation
are on Jenni Hermoso's feet.
It's the 67th minute
of the World Cup finals.
Spain 1, England 0.
Here we go. Jenni steps up to take it
It's fine. Spain is still in the lead.
Oh, man
That would've been too easy.
James crosses it
Cata Coll saves it!
It was t*rture.
-Here's Ona Batlle--
-Blow the whistle already!
They had a corner kick.
-The keeper comes upfield.
-No way.
The game has to be over.
This can't be real.
They took the corner, and I saw Cata.
She raised her hands, jumped,
caught the ball, and fell to the ground.
Cata Coll catches it!
I heard the sound
That's it!
It's a dream come true
for the whole country!
When I heard the whistle
This is history.
It was like
The women's national team
finally has a star
"This is huge."
Insane.
I could watch that all day.
At times, I was happy, but I also thought,
"Why'd you have to win, b*tches?"
Excuse me. But
But that's how it felt.
It was an emotional rollercoaster.
Well, incredible, right?
I get goose bumps.
Thank you, girls. Thank you, Spain.
We are world champions. Spain 1
I couldn't believe it.
It was incredible. I mean unbelievable.
I couldn't even feel myself.
I wasn't floating. I was just gone.
We're world champions.
After all those years
watching the men's team,
today, finally,
these women are world champions.
"We did it."
World-f*cking-champions!
The whole f*cking world!
Yes!
Each of us came from different places,
everyone with their own struggles,
and we came together to win a World Cup.
It was beautiful. We really deserved it.
I think I felt
It was so cathartic. I started crying,
and all I could do was hug everyone.
That's how spent I was.
That's all I could do.
Look. Do you remember this?
-The one with Irene.
-That's a dope photo.
Look at you
I was a mess, covered in snot.
-Crying.
-Wiping your nose.
You're gonna make me cry.
We managed to make history,
despite the year we had
and all that stress.
And
it symbolized the whole saga.
Girl
Remember the pic she posted?
The caption was "Third time's the charm."
As if we'd had other opportunities
As if we'd gotten that far before
We've fought for every ball
on and off the field.
We knew that if one of us fell,
the other two would be there
to pick her back up,
like "No, keep going."
I'll never forget what we achieved,
especially because of them.
I think we became champions
so that we could finally be heard
Their act was over,
and the masks came off.
That's when Jorge Vilda was Jorge Vilda,
and Luis Rubiales was
Luis Rubiales, once again.
He was in the presence of the queen
and princess, the royal family.
And he was president
of a national organization.
At the biggest sporting event ever,
he grabbed his ba*ls, in front of them.
He was in the VIP box
because he represented our country.
That look between Jorge Vilda
and Luis Rubiales sums up
everything those players endured
behind the scenes.
That look meant, "We won this."
He was the world champion.
I couldn't believe it.
As a country, we weren't projecting
an image of us as world champions.
Instead, we projected utter
INTEGRITY VP 2018-2020
moral indignity.
right before going onstage
to receive the trophy.
I saw that and was like
I saw him on the field and thought,
"Why is he carrying her?"
I didn't even realize Rubiales kissed me.
It's in that video
Well, I didn't even notice.
Look at how they're hugging
the president of the federation.
I remember he was completely ecstatic,
but, I mean, who wouldn't be?
Jennifer Hermoso said she wanted
to win a World Cup before retiring.
She wanted a championship
with the national team
-Whoa!
-He kissed her.
-Was that a peck?
-Yeah, he kissed Jenni Hermoso.
-I think Jenni kissed him.
-No, Rubi kissed her. He just grabbed her.
-It was no big deal.
-It was just lips. No tongue, Christ.
Just good vibes, happiness, sheer joy
I was completely taken aback. I couldn't
My girlfriend and I thought it was odd.
So we got on social media
to see what people had to say.
He's her boss. What could she have done?
Slap the president of the federation?
In the studio,
we were all like,
"Did that really just happen?"
I could see that it was
starting to snowball on social media
among people in Spain.
We were in disbelief.
the captain of the Spanish team lifts
the trophy into the Sydney sky.
For the first time in history,
Spain are world champions!
I remember Jenni said, "Girl,"
and I turned and looked at her.
She looked worried.
"What?" I said.
She responded, "Rubiales just kissed me."
I was like, "What? Oh, come on."
And since she's always joking around,
I thought she was messing with me.
She told us, but I didn't understand.
Like, "He kissed me."
We were like, "What?"
She kept bringing it up,
hoping that someone would tell her,
"it's fine" or "that is not okay."
Anyway, we kept on celebrating.
We were blasting music
It was wild in there. We were all doing
our own thing in the locker room.
We were in a state of absolute euphoria.
Until the adrenaline wore off,
everything seemed like a joke.
It was all laughs.
People were like,
"What happened? Whoa, what?"
"There was a kiss."
Who kissed?
Let me see
I didn't like it though!
I think she felt uncomfortable.
She said she didn't like it right away.
-What did you do, girl?
-What did I do? Seriously?
And the president had just told us
that the federation would fly
whoever wanted to go to Ibiza.
People were joking around, like,
"Let's have a wedding."
Joking about
They even made Jenni stand next to him.
Wedding bells!
Let's go!
I was so confused. We were celebrating.
What was he doing there? I don't know.
Now, I can see
he was trying to defuse the situation.
At the time,
it was hard to react and say, "Stop."
First, because he was our boss.
And second, because we were
in such an emotional state
Jenn, say hi. I'm live.
Let's go!
All of us journalists
gathered outside the hotel.
The atmosphere was celebratory.
I said, "Luis, President, please."
So he came over, put in the earpiece,
and I held the mic in front of him.
Hey, Juanma. How's it going?
Are you aware
of all the fuss over that kiss?
-I don't have time for this bullshit.
-Sure.
After all I've been through,
I'm tired of these dumbasses
and their nonsense.
Let's just celebrate the good stuff.
I think my jaw was on the floor
during that entire interview.
Look, idiots will be idiots. I'm done.
And they got on the bus
No way, girl.
We are the champions!
We women are the champions.
People were recording.
Rubiales would come over,
say something, and then walk away.
My teammates were joking around
Kiss!
Then Irene shouted,
"Girls, stop. This is serious."
"He kissed her
because he thinks he's above her."
No one said anything after that.
We started to understand
what was really going on.
-He grabbed me like this
-You can see it here.
Why was the bus footage leaked?
What was the goal?
Do I really need to explain?
Oh, my God.
They were pushing the narrative
of the "perfect victim."
That was the twisted motive
behind leaking the footage
of the post-match celebrations.
"See? She's laughing.
She can't be that upset."
Asking victims to behave a certain way is
another way of revictimizing them.
Why shouldn't I smile?
Why shouldn't I live my life?
Can't I keep on living
after someone hurt me?
They wanted to portray me like,
"Look how happy she is.
She's smiling. Clearly, she's fine."
It was like
-What did they expect?
-Exactly.
Before boarding,
Jenni told me they were pressuring her
to issue a statement, defending Rubiales.
But she had made up her mind.
She said, "Why would I do that?"
"I'm not signing anything
or making statements."
"But I'm freaked out
because they won't leave me alone."
"It was mutual and spontaneous.
We were caught up in the excitement."
Jenni told me, "That's a lie.
They're making it all up."
"It was a natural display
of gratitude and affection."
It's not normal for a PR department
to try to issue a statement
saying a player said something
that they did not say
and claiming that the player gave them
permission to publish her opinion.
Every time I approached
Jenni on the plane,
at least three or four people
from the federation would come over.
It was really tense and unpleasant.
I vividly remember
people going to and from
where Rubiales was sitting.
They kept asking him
to come out and apologize.
It seems like there's been some uproar.
If anyone feels hurt by what happened,
then I have to apologize. That's all.
I told him, "That's hardly an apology."
If the video had gone on any longer,
it would've seemed
like Jenni had to apologize.
We didn't understand.
We thought it was normal, natural.
Regardless, it happened.
I think it was entirely spontaneous
A good PR strategy
would've changed things.
But who would've had the guts to tell him?
You have to think about your role in this.
Otherwise, you're complicit
in what's going on.
The entire institution
was only thinking about him.
Nobody was thinking about Jenni.
Jenni broke down in tears.
She started to realize what was going on.
We were almost home.
She seemed worried and scared.
The flight attendants were
the ones that fired us up,
and that's when we started
celebrating again on the plane.
But I also started feeling anxious
because the federation's PR person
came over and suggested I make a video
about how well
the federation had treated us.
I was caught
between a rock and a hard place.
They asked me
to talk to all the news outlets
to defuse the situation,
refute what people were saying,
and make it seem like it was no big deal.
I remember this conversation
Jenni, Rubiales, and I had.
I was shocked.
He told us he was seeing someone
and that she, well
that he had spoken to her
and that she said
the kiss didn't bother her.
She just wanted them to make that video.
"I want to clear my name at any cost."
"I'll use Jenni,
her family, the captains"
And they tried everything.
You had to do what they were asking.
"If you do me this favor, then"
The idea was you'd be set for life.
If we didn't give in,
they'd keep hounding us.
But what had happened was too important.
In the past few hours,
more people have spoken out.
Luis Rubiales must pay for what he did.
The president's behavior was unacceptable
The federation is an entity
that the government delegated powers to.
Therefore, they can't just do
whatever they want.
They told me they opened an investigation
and were examining the facts.
We thought it was normal, natural
What was the problem?
The people that had to decide
whether to sanction Rubiales were
part of the federation.
So, the result
of this swift internal investigation was
A MOMENT OF JOY AND EUPHORIA
just a report
that completely exonerated Rubiales
in this matter.
They basically said, "whatever it takes."
The goal was to treat this as no big deal,
so they were going to stop at nothing
to do so.
Every political party is
against Luis Rubiales
It's a disgrace that this has tarnished
such an important achievement
What we witnessed at the finals was
an absolute disgrace.
Mr. Rubiales's apology was insufficient.
He must resign.
FIFA opened an investigation this morning.
This time, he has no choice.
We were all anxious to see
what Rubiales was going to do.
He told his team he was going to resign.
That was leaked.
RESIGNING TODAY
Then he convened the general assembly
so he could wipe the slate clean.
Well.
Good morning
to all assemblymen and assemblywomen.
I was relaxed, on vacation.
I was so checked out
that I didn't even bother
to watch the meeting.
I thought he'd admit his mistake,
and that would be the end of it.
I grabbed my phone
and went through my texts.
"Are you watching this?"
We've been through
so much, Jorge. So much
I didn't get to relax at all.
I never got to unplug.
We've really struggled.
We've put up with a lot.
I was with my grandparents. We turned on
the TV and couldn't believe it.
The kiss. The peck.
It was more of a peck than a kiss.
It was spontaneous, mutual,
celebratory, and consensual.
That last part is key.
His lies, attitude, how he defended
himself and attacked Jenni
She lifted me off the ground.
She picked me up and drew me in close.
I was like, "What is going on?"
I told her,
"Forget about the penalty kick."
She responded, "You're the best."
I said,
"How about a peck?" She responded, "Okay."
I felt so uncomfortable.
I am telling the truth here.
Girls, learn from this.
It's a life lesson.
You are the real feminists,
not like those fake ones out there.
I don't know if he was attacking us,
but I thought it was hate speech.
People there knew the truth,
but they clapped
just to protect themselves.
People were paying for favors
with their presence.
They'd been told, "You got the job
because I wanted you here."
I heard that exact phrase the day I quit.
"Don't forget I got you this job."
Jorge and Montse were clapping.
They were selling out their players again.
I'd like to make a surprise announcement.
Forgive me, Jorge.
I'd like you to stay for four more years
and earn half a million euros a year.
"I'm the one in charge here."
He was flouting all the rules
that he had bragged about creating
to make the federation transparent.
It turns out he was the federation.
Do you think I should resign?
Well, let me tell you something.
I will not resign.
I will not resign.
I will not resign.
I will not resign.
I will not resign.
At that point, I felt outraged.
to go all the way. If you know me,
you know I'll fight to the end.
I kept getting angrier.
I texted Jenni. I said,
"Are you still hoarse?"
You replied, "No, girl, it's from crying."
I was stunned.
I was like, "Wow. What is happening?"
I couldn't articulate
to you or anyone else
how I felt at the time.
"Don't say a word." "This isn't over."
-Scarier threats.
-Scarier.
It got to the point where
I couldn't go outside
without looking over my shoulder.
Jenni said, "I don't know how,
but I will do whatever it takes to prove
that the truth is what I felt,
not what he's saying in that meeting."
I told her,
"I'm here for whatever you need."
So much happened
Are you gonna ask about the tweet?
"This is unacceptable. It's all over.
I stand with you, my teammate."
Enough was enough. We were fed up.
SENI saw that tweet and said to myself,
"We're all going to do the same thing."
So I tweeted with the hashtag #SeAcab.
When the time came, everyone spoke out.
It was crystal clear.
We truly were fed up. We'd had enough.
Tons of meetings
and phone calls.
Lots of stress.
We really needed to figure out
what our unified message would be.
It was a global message.
It could've happened to any woman,
so we needed to stand together.
THE 15
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE
WE NEED TO SUPPORT JENNI
"We all have to stand together this time,
to help and protect her,
and make sure this never happens again."
It was unacceptable.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
When your teammate is assaulted,
I don't think there's any question
that you have to support her.
Then I called Vernica Boquete and said,
"Jenni is going to issue a statement."
"Create a 2015 World Cup group
for your team
and get everyone to sign the statement."
She said, "Okay."
It evolved into contacting everyone,
anyone that ever played
for the women's national team.
To prevent another leak, we didn't send
the document. We had to read it aloud.
We called each player
and read them the draft.
"firmly and resoundingly condemn
the behavior"
We were all making calls.
"In response to statements"
"we firmly deny"
We didn't trust anyone or anything.
We even thought
our phones could've been hacked.
We asked someone to take a look.
They said one was compromised,
and a different hack had failed.
At that point, I was scared.
Then I thought about Jenni and realized,
"If this is how we feel,
what must she be going through?"
We had to stand firm.
This time, no one could leave the table
and say,
"Now this is getting to be too much."
No. We had to hold our ground.
We were obviously afraid
of never playing on the team again,
but this was bigger than any fear.
We didn't care if it meant sacrificing
qualifying for the Olympics
or risking our careers.
The veteran players
were constantly reassuring us,
telling us they would take the heat.
"We're a team.
We're not gonna screw each other over."
I don't know why,
but I wasn't scared anymore.
The path was clear.
SEND
We made it abundantly clear
that there were things
that we would no longer tolerate.
OFFICIAL STATEMEN"The players of the national team,
recent World Cup champions,
in support of Jennifer Hermoso,
firmly and resoundingly condemn
the behavior that has threatened
the dignity of women."
"No woman should ever
have to feel the need to speak out
against the shocking images we all saw."
"We are deeply saddened
that such a deplorable act
has tarnished
the greatest achievement
of Spanish women's football."
"All the players that sign hereinafter
will never return to the national team
as long as
the current leadership remains in place."
"Signed:
Jennifer Hermoso, Alexia Putellas,
Misa Rodrguez,
Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle"
When it was published,
it made the news around the world.
It's all over
IT'S ALL OVER
It's still making global headlines.
Rubiales, president
of the Spanish Football
The controversy surrounding Luis Rubiales
just keeps growing.
Everyone's talking about it.
Everyone condemns what Rubiales did.
We've had enough.
Women will no longer be silent
In the film industry, we're fed up too.
We were sending a message
to women all over the world.
I won't say it was bigger
than winning the World Cup
because that's what triggered everything,
for better or worse,
but it's the most powerful thing
that's happened in a long time.
WE'RE WITH YOU, JENNI
REMOVE RUBIALES
Step down, Rubiales!
We were sick and tired
of the Spain we don't like.
And the
We really wanted to bring about
generational change
and a shift in mindset,
but we thought
it was never going to happen.
Well, it's here now,
and it's all thanks to football.
Despite the fact
so many people said it was no big deal,
look at what happened.
The Spanish Football Federation
has removed Jorge Vilda as head coach.
VILDA CHARGED WITH COERCION
He went from a huge win to getting fired
and facing serious accusations.
Jenni Hermoso filed a complaint
with state prosecutors
against Luis Rubiales
for the nonconsensual kiss
What gave me strength was
seeing all my teammates
and players around the world take a stand.
And that, honestly
I think it gave me a kind of superpower
to face everything and keep fighting.
Here comes Rubiales.
Luis, are you worried? How do you feel?
Rubiales went from
"I will not resign" to "I will resign."
Last night, he issued a statement
to that effect, reiterating
This has set a precedent
and has given strength to so many women.
"It's always been like that" is no longer
an excuse because things have changed.
That's why many people are furious.
as*ault AND COERCION CHARGES
FILED AGAINST RUBIALES
Why did I do it?
It was the right thing to do,
to prevent all the other things
that so many women have endured
from escalating into something even worse.
It wasn't just about Vilda or Rubiales.
Many people were protecting each other.
just a few hours ago.
His dismissal has been confirmed.
A key figure in Rubiales's circle,
Andreu Camps, is gone.
The head of the Integrity Office,
Miguel Garca Caba, is out.
Albert Luque has been fired
We were calling for structural change.
The system couldn't stay the same.
It had reached a breaking point and
there was no turning back.
And then there was peace
in women's football.
Today, in Madrid,
all parties have come together,
the federation, the CSD, and the players,
to agree on changes to the women's team.
Any grudges or differences that we had
completely disappeared,
and I think that's what made us strong.
We'd just won the World Cup.
If we all keep working together,
we'll achieve great things.
I trust that these agreements will ensure
that women's sports,
and by extension, society,
will be much better.
Now we really are united,
and we can accomplish
something even more important
than what we did a few days ago.
Is the water nice and warm?
We need to keep fighting
for future generations.
We still don't see
the light at the end of the tunnel.
There is a long road ahead,
but we have so much support
I think everything that happened justified
the rebellion of the "whiny brats."
But, more than anything else,
it proved that they were right.
The fact that we all came together
that you all,
because at the end of the day
maybe many other people
You went through all of it. We all did.
All of it.
For better or worse, we've been here
from the start. They treated us like sh*t.
That's literally how we felt.
Then we became world champions,
but we had to endure something
we never thought we'd have to go through.
And we're still here.
That's what I'm most proud of.
I'm happy we won the World Cup,
but I'm so proud
of how we handled everything,
how well you handled it,
and how much people respect us now.
And I feel so blessed
that we did it all together.
Cheers to that.
-To you all.
-To more victories.
On the night of August 20th, 2023,
we didn't just become champions
for a trophy in a display case.
We became world champions
because it was the only way
to make ourselves heard,
respected, and valued.
My national team changed
how many people see women's football.
I am sure
that millions of girls around the world
feel validated and supported
by these brave, committed,
and honorable players.
These women thought of their futures
every step of the way.
So much has happened since then,
and, unfortunately, we had to endure
hardships during a historic moment.
But I know we have to set
an example for future generations.
When I started playing football,
I had no female role models.
But you're lucky enough
to have Alexia, Jenni
We need to be role models
for girls around the world.
They need to feel seen.
We need to inspire them
-How's it going?
-Take it easy!
motivate them,
and teach them to never give up
and to keep pushing forward.
I've always followed you
and the other players.
Girls around the world
no longer just want to be
like Beckham, Mbapp,
or Cristiano Ronaldo.
It's so cool
because it's always just been the boys.
They want to be like Alexia Putellas,
Ada Hegerberg, Pernille Harder,
or Alexandra Popp.
The next Aitana Bonmat is out there.
One, two, three, team!
They want to shine,
and we must give them that chance.
And I'm here to tell you all
that enough is enough.
I'm Jenni Hermoso, a football player,
and I'm that girl
that became a world champion.
Thank you so much.
IT'S ALL OVER:
THE KISS THAT CHANGED SPANISH FOOTBALL
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