“We are the best training federation in the world”

The president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, has highlighted the evolution of women's football in Spain and the efforts made by the RFEF. He also outlined the involvement of Jorge Vilda as coordinator of the Spanish women's national teams. Rubiales made these comments during the tribute to the U-17 World Cup winners. "I am sure that many of you will defend the national team badge and proudly defend our country", he stated.

Luis Rubiales shared some facts about the evolution of women's football in our country, which has its culmination in the following results: there is no other federation in the world that has won three times and has been second over the last four World Cups. "We are the best women's football federation in the world," Rubiales said.

💻📄🗂

𝙇𝙖 𝙖𝙥𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖 𝙙𝙚 𝙡𝙖 𝙍𝙁𝙀𝙁 𝙥𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙡 𝙛𝙪́𝙩𝙗𝙤𝙡 𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙤

— Luis Rubiales, Presidente de la RFEF#U17WWC | #KickOffTheDream pic.twitter.com/mW4aKLkxk0

— RFEF (@rfef) November 1, 2022

These results are possible "thanks to talent, the efforts of families" and the involvement of a Federation which, in four years, has gone from having four categories of women's national teams to seven; and which has moved from 18th place in the world ranking to 6th place, as the president of the RFEF pointed out. "Today, we have a budget of 25 million euros in a women's football department that didn't exist before, and we have made a huge investment in doctors, physios... These features have also been possible thanks to the effort made to get more sponsors from 2 to 11 having two", Luis Rubiales said.

"Emotion also as a father"

In his institutional speech, Rubiales expressed his emotion, not only as president but also "as a father". "I put myself in the shoes of the fathers and mothers, of the early mornings, of the fields we have to go to... and now I see the pride in their eyes," he said.

❝Habéis hecho feliz a vuestras familias, a la RFEF, al fútbol español y a toda España❞

— Luis Rubiales, Presidente de la RFEF#U17WWC | #KickOffTheDream pic.twitter.com/rW0PwvZMTr

— RFEF (@rfef) November 1, 2022

Rubiales received a World Cup medal from Olaya, one of the team captains, and he asked the players for Sandy, the stuffed dragon that accompanied them during the tournament, to become part of the collection of the Spanish National Team Museum and to be exhibited next to the World Cup trophy.

In addition to Luis Rubiales, the vice-president of the RFEF, Elvira Andrés; the vice-president and president of the Federation's Women's Football Technical Committee, Rafa del Amo; and the secretary-general of the RFEF, Andreu Camps, among other RFEF members, also attended the tribute.