Women's football still waiting for Real Madrid
The victory of Spain's under-17 side against Germany is another sign that women’s football is being taken ever more seriously in the country. I have the impression that, after years of strenuous efforts by maltreated pioneers, it’s finally coming out of scarcity and entering in to the public consciousness. LaLiga games are now shown by GOL, a TV channel familiar to the Spanish football fan, and Iberdrola, who no longer sponsor the men’s national side, have invested €2m in the championship. The League is now supported by an ‘ad hoc’ office while the decree of televised football in Spain sees that 0.5% of the money (a relatively succulent amount of cash) goes to the women’s game.
A new air of formaility
This inflow covers social security; something which permits the clubs to give the female players working contracts at manageable costs. Everything is taking on a new air of formality. One of the league’s flagship clubs, Atlético Madrid Feminas, were until recently just borrowing the side’s name, but now form and are embraced as a real part of club. It has also been the case that in the past that Spain’s best players have left the country in search of professional football, a factor that impoverished the level of football and the spectacle of the league. That, little by little, is now happening less.
Real Madrid still missing
What the women’s game misses though, of course, is Real Madrid. All the other big clubs now have female sides and this makes their absence even more conspicuous. However, an initiative in Madrid has begun to surge, driven by René Ramos (sister of Sergio) and Ana Rosell, a tenacious enthusiast who’s been trying to convince Florentino Perez for a while now. They’ve entered a team into the second division under the name ‘Tacón’ (Heel) with a badge that depicts a pink high-heeled boot, which doesn’t really seem appropriate. But if there’s luck and the aspirations of backers are met, we will soon finally be seeing a Real Madrid women’s team.