BUENOS AIRES (AP) — A dispute over poor living conditions and compensation at a camp ahead of two international friendlies led three players to leave Argentina’s national women’s team on Monday; this would have been unimaginable for the men’s team, which won the World Cup.
Three regular starters for the national team—midfielder Lorena Benítez, defender Julieta Cruz, and goalkeeper Laurina Oliveiros—announced their departure as the team began preparing for Friday’s and June 3 friendly against Costa Rica.
“We reached a point in which we are tired of the injustices, of not being valued, not being heard and, even worse, being humiliated,” Cruz posted on Instagram. “We need improvements for Argentina’s women’s soccer national team, and I am not only talking about finances. I speak about training, having lunch, breakfast.”
Cruz and Benítez reported that they were given a banana and a ham and cheese sandwich during national squad training sessions, which they feel is insufficient for high-performance athletes.
They said that because the two friendly will be played in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s soccer federation informed them they would not receive payment for the matches.