Bedtime checks, repetitive training and supervised free time: Lucia Garcia reveals why 15 players refused to play for Spain before Women's World Cup

The Manchester United star was among a group of players who sent emails to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announcing in September 2022 that they would not represent the national team under head coach Jorge Vilda. Some of those players relented and returned to the squad, but Lucia Garcia was among those who continued their boycott and missed out as Spain won the Women's World Cup.

Writing in The Players' Tribune, the 25-year-old said: "Things had been brewing for years, and the defeat to England at the Euros was the final drop. I don’t want to list all the changes we asked for, but I’ll give you two examples of things that were not normal. Keep in mind that this was daily life at one of the best national teams on the planet.

"The training sessions were always the same. Always. Every day. I swear to God, I had done the same drills since I was with the U17s. I understand the value of repetition, but I believe professional players need some kind of variation, especially after seven or eight years doing exactly the same. There was a strict control every night at bedtime. If you are leading a youth team, I understand that it makes sense to check that everyone is in their room at a certain time. But when you do this with adult professional women, they are going to be shocked.

"Also, we almost never had the day to ourselves. If we had free time, it was supervised. It was like they were afraid of what we might do, as if they doubted how professional we really were. I mean, we know what’s best for us. We weren’t girls on a school trip."

Spain stuck by coach Jorge Vilda despite the protests of a large section of his squad and he went on to lead them to success at the World Cup, beating England in the final. However, the scandal that surrounded RFEF president Luis Rubiales, leading to the official receiving a three-year ban from FIFA, also resulted in Vilda being sacked by acting president Pedro Rocha.

Lucia Garcia was called back into the squad after Vilda's exit and scored in their 5-0 win against Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League in September. She was absent from the recent 5-3 thriller against Sweden but may be called up for the semi-final clash against Netherlands in February.

Before turning her attention to the showdown against the Dutch next year, she will continue the Women's Super League campaign with Manchester United. Fourth-placed United are in action again on Sunday with a game against Liverpool.