Patri Guijarro, the talented midfielder from Barcelona, has made a comeback to the Spain national team after nearly two years of being unavailable. She is among the 26 players selected for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers and the Olympic Games scheduled for later this summer. The head coach, Montse Tomé, will have to narrow down the squad to 18 players for the Olympics after the qualifiers against Czechia and Belgium, with an additional four players as backups.
This return of Guijarro signifies a positive development in the relationship between the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the 15 players who had previously declined to play for the team back in September 2022. Some of these players, including Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey, did participate in the World Cup, which Spain emerged victorious from last year. However, post the World Cup, due to the fallout following an incident involving the former president Luis Rubiales, the players once again decided to withdraw their availability for the national team.
The upheaval led to significant changes within the RFEF, including the resignation of Rubiales and the replacement of the women’s team coach, Jorge Vilda, with Tomé. Rubiales is now set to stand trial next February on charges related to his behavior after the World Cup final. Despite the reassurances of a more professional treatment of the women’s team by the RFEF, Guijarro had initially decided against rejoining the national team.
Guijarro, along with her Barcelona teammate Mapi León, had received a call-up from Tomé last September, but Guijarro felt it wasn’t the right time to return. Her recent inclusion in the squad indicates a step forward for Spain in overcoming the challenges faced during a tumultuous period, despite their recent successes. Following their World Cup victory, they clinched the UEFA Nations League title and are now eyeing their first-ever gold medal at the Olympics.
On the other hand, León, who had been recovering from a serious injury, has not been summoned by Tomé. It remains uncertain if she will make herself available once she is fully fit, similar to Guijarro’s decision. The return of Guijarro to the national team lineup brings optimism for Spain’s progress and unity as they aim to leave behind a turbulent past and focus on achieving further success on the international stage.