Fifteen players resign from Spanish women's football team in bid to oust head coach

By Jacob Lev and Cesar Lopez, CNN

Updated 0834 GMT (1634 HKT) September 23, 2022

Fifteen players have resigned from the Spanish women's football team.

(CNN)Fifteen of Spain's best women footballers have resigned from the national team, saying the training methods of their head coach are harming their emotional states and health.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said in a statement Thursday that it has received 15 emails from 15 players asking not to be selected and referred to the players having an issue with the national team coach Jorge Vilda and staff. The federation said it was «an unprecedented situation in the history of football, both male and female, in Spain and worldwide.»Players said in their resignation letters that the «current situation» had significantly affected their «emotional state and health,» according to the federation.Jorge Vilda, head coach of Spain, before the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 quarterfinal between England and Spain on July 20.The players were unhappy with the management of injuries, the atmosphere in the locker room, Vilda's team selection and his training sessions, Reuters reported citing sources close to the situation.Read MoreTwo-time World Cup winner and US Women's National Team star Megan Rapinoe posted an Instagram story on Thursday night supporting the players, saying, «You got a 16th [player] standing with you in [US flag emoji] This many players together like this is so powerful. We should all listen.»RFEF appears to be standing by the coach. The federation said it will not «allow the players to question the continuity of the national coach and his coaching staff, since making those decisions does not fall within their powers.»Women's Euro 2022: With two major injuries,