Despite cold war with own players, Spanish Federation to help Indian women's football

In a welcome move, Spanish giants in Atletico de Madrid will be monitoring and helping India's U-17 men's team ahead of their AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023 in Thailand, as reported by Times of India.

Bibiano Fernandes' side is set to travel to Spain for a five-week exposure trip, which will include six friendlies, after which the Blue Colts will have a final preparatory camp in Germany, as confirmed by AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey.

While the All India Football Federation is keen to follow Madrid's policy on youth development for it's U-17 boys, the Indian federation also wants to take a leaf our of the Spanish Federation's book in terms of the development of Indian women's football.

“In women’s football, Spain have champions. We are looking forward to three to five experienced women coaches to come here. These coaches would be someone who have experience of winning (major honours)," Chaubey told TOI.

While this move may prove to be beneficial for the Indian women footballers, fingers have been pointed at Royal Spanish Football Federation for getting into this agreement with India when they are involved in a cold war with their own women players.

In September of 2022, 15 players of the Spanish senior women's team wrote a joint letter to the federation expressing their dissatisfaction with the current head coach Jorge Vilda. This move was taken by the players after the Vilda wasn't removed from his post after the team crashed out of the 2022 Euros owing to a quarter-final exit at the hands of hosts England.

The federation in their reply was stern as they weren't going to stand this mutiny orchestrated by their players. "It will simply not call up those players who do not wish to wear the Spanish shirt," it said as per The Guardian, and that they will only call up those 15 players, who are on national team strike, after they apologise.