Highlights

• Spain's historic run to the Women's World Cup final has been marred by a dispute with the Spanish Football Federation and head coach Jorge Vilda.
• Fifteen senior players, including high-profile names like Mapi León and Aitana Bonmatí, resigned from the national team due to issues with the team's conditions and coaching staff.
• Despite the controversy, some of the resigned players, including Bonmatí, have been included in Spain's World Cup squad.

Spain have embarked on a historic run to reach the final of the 2023 Women's World Cup, with the side getting past the round of 16 for the first time and then powering on until the tournament's conclusion.

At Stadium Australia on Sunday, 20 August, Spain will come up against England in what is sure to be a scintillating final.

However, the side will compete amid a dispute with the Spanish Football Federation and their head coach, Jorge Vilda. As a result, a number of the country's most high-profile players are absent from the Women's World Cup.

GiveMeSport explains exactly what is going on, and why Spain's appearance in the Women's World Cup final has not been met with unanimous joy.

Spain exit Euro 2022 in the quarterfinals

Last July, Vilda’s side came up against the Lionesses in the quarterfinal stages at Euro 2022.

There, Sarina Wiegman’s squad triumphed 2-1, thanks to goals by midfielders Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone.

Not only did the home side book their place in the semi-finals of the competition, but they also sent La Roja packing and forced them to exit the tournament early.

'Las 15' resign from the Spanish national team

Two months after their Euro 2022 campaign ground to a disappointing halt, 15 senior players of the Spanish first team sent near-identical correspondence to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

In the messages, the players made themselves unavailable for selection for La Roja’s upcoming October friendlies, and claimed that the conditions in camp were compromising their mental and physical health.

The footballers also complained about the lack of professionalism from the team’s technical staff, which included that of head coach Vilda.

They wrote: “I currently do not see myself in a position to be a player eligible for selection for our national team and for this reason I request not to be called up until the situation is reversed.”

Who were 'Las 15'?

High-profile players such as Barcelona’s Mapi León, Aitana Bonmatí and Ona Battle, as well as Spanish striker Mariona Caldentey, were all involved in the correspondence.

The full list of players who resigned from the senior team is: Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmatí, Mapi León, Mariona Caldentey, Sandra Paños, Ona Battle, Claudia Pina, Lola Gallardo, Ainhoa Moraza, Nerea Eizaguirre, Amaiur Sarriegi, Lucía García, Leila Ouahabi, Laia Aleixandri, and Andrea Pereira.

Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas also voiced her support of ‘Las 15’ while she was sidelined from the national team with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Irene Paredes and Jennifer Hermoso joined Putellas in vocalising their support for their international teammates. However, none of these three players ever made themselves officially unavailable for selection.

Did the RFEF respond?

Following the collective outcry and combined plea to change the mood of the Spanish camp, the RGEF responded with a scathing rebuttal.

In a statement, they said: "The RFEF can confirm that, throughout today, we received 15 emails from 15 players of the women's senior football team... in which they state that the current situation affects 'significantly' their emotional state and their health and that, 'as long as it is not reversed', they resign from the Spanish national team.”

The federation then demanded that the senior players "recognise their mistake and ask for forgiveness", and stated that refusing to honour a call-up to the Spanish national team has a “very serious infraction and can carry sanctions of between two and five years of disqualification”.

Members of 'Las 15' relesected for FIFA Women’s World Cup

It is not known when members of the original Las 15 made themselves available for selection again, nor is it documented how they came to the decision to set their differences aside.

However, earlier this summer, Vilda announced that he would be taking 23 players to the World Cup, and that three of the previously-exiled players would be included.

These included 25-year-old midfielder Bonmatí, former Manchester United defender Battle and forward Mariona Caldentey.

The trio were involved in training camps before they travelled to New Zealand with the rest of the team for the ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup.

Putellas was also included in the squad, having recovered from her 10-month absence away from the field of play.

According to ESPN, the remaining 12 players, including Leon, Guijarro and Pina, remained unavailable for selection. It is also claimed that the likes of García, Ouahabi and Gallardo were omitted based on outlying reasons such as fitness levels and pure merit.

Spain players snub Jorge Vilda following Women’s World Cup victory

While the likes of Bonmatí and Putellas are currently back representing La Roja at the country's fourth-ever Women’s World Cup, it seems as if not all is well in the Spanish camp.

Following the team’s 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the competition, the team were seen celebrating on the pitch and in the dugout at the Wellington Regional Stadium.

However, in footage shared via Twitter, the successful group were apparently leaving their 42-year-old manager out of the festivities.

In the clip, Vilda could be seen walking on the pitch and attempting to speak to his 23-woman team. However, nobody approached him to celebrate.

Fans were quick to call out the ‘snub’ across social media, and voice concerns that a Spanish victory at the Women's World Cup would solidify Vilda's position as manager.

What is next for Spain in the Women’s World Cup?

Vilda and his team are due to come up against world number four England this weekend.

If they successfully beat the European champions at Stadium Australia on Sunday, they will become the third European team to hoist the coveted Women's World Cup trophy.

Elsewhere, Bonmatí is still in the running to claim the Golden Boot, having scored three goals and registering two assists.

She currently sits one place behind Lauren James and is two goals behind the Japanese frontrunner Hinata Miyazawa.

When does the Women’s World Cup final take place?

Spain vs England will place on Sunday, 20 August at 11am BST. The winner will be crowned world champion, while the losers will be heralded as 2023 runners-up.

The match is Wiegman’s second consecutive World Cup final – in 2019 her home nation, the Netherlands, were defeated 2-0 by the United States.