Coup that turned Spain into a world force

Vero Boquete says a player-led revolt in 2015 led to a positive change, writes Molly Mcelwee

To understand what it took for Spain to very nearly match the United States at the Shebelieves Cup on Sunday, one has to rewind almost five years.

From being a team who perpetually underperformed to now, when only a late Julie Ertz header separated them from a draw against the world champions, big changes were needed. Vero Boquete, La Roja’s all-time top scorer, says a player-led coup in 2015 was the catalyst.

After a debut World Cup in Canada, where Spain failed to win a match, the squad launched an ousting campaign against Ignacio Quereda, who had coached the national team since 1988. He was accused of not adequately preparing them for the World Cup, with players left scouring Youtube to scout the opposition.

A month and a half later, after former squad members emerged claiming Quereda’s culture of intimidation had ended careers, he resigned. It triggered a rise in the team’s fortunes.

Boquete was part of a generation who won the under-19 Euros in 2004, but Spain failed to reach a major tournament at senior level between 1997 and 2013.

“We had the same coach for 27 years and in 27 years the situation of women’s football in Spain didn’t grow at all,” Boquete tells The Daily Telegraph from her Utah home, where she plays in the NWSL.

“It wasn’t personal. We really believed we needed that change, new people around with more capacity to help us to grow. From then, I think obviously the results talk for themselves.”

A new era began in 2015 with coach Jorge Vilda, who remains in charge of the senior squad. He helped elevate Spain from barely a top-20 team to 12th in the Fifa rankings two years ago, and at the World Cup last summer they reached the last 16 for the first time.

Boquete, 32, says their coup also triggered a change in the domestic league, which now has teams posing threats in the Champions League. When she left Spain a decade ago to play club football abroad, it was because she could not play professionally back home.

Since men’s clubs began getting behind women’s football more seriously, things have improved, but the players have had to fight for better conditions. In November, the players in Spain’s top division staged a strike, which eventually led to them achieving their aims of better pay and maternity rights.

But Boquete and some of her peers have not reaped the rewards of their action, which started this wave. Though she is glowing in her praise for the national squad, she admits it has sometimes been difficult to watch since she was controversially dropped ahead of the 2017 Euros.

“I have no regrets, because I know what we did at that time changed for good the situation in the sport,” the former captain says. “Obviously I enjoy to see the success and how well we play.”

She adds if Spain play as they did against the US, she is “positive” they will beat England in their final match of the tournament today.

Vero Boquete is the newest Girls United global ambassador. www. girlsunitedfa.org