Spain’s hopes of winning this year’s Women’s European Championships were dealt a huge blow, with record-scorer Jennifer Hermoso ruled out of the tournament.
Hermoso is La Roja’s all-time leading goalscorer with 45 goals and the Barcelona forward ended the 2021/22 season with 23 goals across all competitions.
But the 32-year-old will miss out on the tournament in England this summer, as Spain’s medical staff revealed Hermoso had sprained a ligament in her right knee.
She had previously played in four major tournaments for her country, which includes two World Cups and two European Championships.
Jorge Vilda’s team were being tipped as one of the favourites for the competition, with Spain yet to win a major women’s international tournament.
A replacement for Hermoso is expected to be announced imminently.
It is not all bad news for the women’s squad though, as the Spanish Football Federation announced that their female footballers will receive the same bonuses as their male counterparts.
An ESPN report confirmed that players will receive money from future sponsorship arrangements, have their image rights regularised and see the team’s working conditions improved.
It is an agreement which has come into forced now, and an RFEF statement read as follows: “We have agreed with the Spanish Women’s National Team the amounts that will be allocated in bonuses and image rights during Euro 2022 and for the next five years,” the RFEF said in a statement.
“Through the agreement, the bonuses received in percentages by the players are equal to those received by the [men].
“In addition, the image rights that the players will receive are regularised and improved, while significant improvements in working conditions have also been agreed upon.”
Spain have followed in the footsteps of the USA, with the U.S Soccer announcing similar proposals last month.
“This is an important day,” Luis Rubiales, the president of the RFEF, added. “The agreement we have signed is at the forefront of world football. The five-year deal will cover upcoming World Cups, European Championships and, we hope, the Olympic Games.
“We have to promote women’s sport. We are working to shorten the distances with the men and we are grateful to the players for trusting in the benefits of this agreement.”
Spain begin their Euros campaign against Finland in Milton Keynes on July 8, ahead of further group stage matches against Germany and Finland.
