Three players left Argentina's national women's team on Monday after a dispute over lack of pay and conditions at a camp ahead of two international friendlies, an unthinkable scenario for the country's World Cup-winning men's team.
Goalkeeper Laurina Oliveiros, defender Julieta Cruz and midfielder Lorena Benítez, all regular starters for the national team, announced their signings as the squad began to fine-tune the friendlies against Costa Rica on Friday and June 3.
“We have reached a point where we are tired of injustices, of not being valued, not listened to and, even worse, humiliated,” Cruz posted on Instagram. “We need improvements for the Argentine women's soccer team, and I'm not just talking about finances. I'm talking about training, lunch, breakfast.”
Cruz and Benítez said that during national team training they received a ham and cheese sandwich and a banana, which they consider inappropriate for high-performance athletes.
They said Argentina's soccer association told them they would not be paid for the two friendlies because the games would be played at their home in Buenos Aires.
Benítez added that in addition to the players not being paid, their relatives were charged 5,000 pesos ($5) for tickets to enter the stadium.
“And there are millions of things we've been through,” the midfielder added.
Goalkeeper Oliveros posted several photographs of her wearing the Argentina shirt on Instagram.
“With a broken heart and thousands of dreams disappearing little by little. May the next generations enjoy and be happy running after football, like we were a while ago,” he said.
Argentina's soccer association did not comment on the players' decision.
Estefanía Banini, considered the best player in the country's history, gave her support to her three former teammates. Last year she also decided to stop playing for the national team.
“It's a matter of time. Thank you for being willing to talk about it,” said the Atlético de Madrid midfielder on her social networks.
Argentina's professional women's soccer championship began just five years ago, but players consider the overall improvement to be very small.
Argentina's women's teams often struggle in South American competitions against rivals from Colombia and Brazil, host of the 2027 Women's World Cup.
