In an unprecedented move that has sent shockwaves through the realms of Argentine soccer, three seasoned players have made the uncompromising decision to detach themselves from Argentina’s national women’s squad. This comes in the wake of a festering dispute centering around the conditions and non-payment experienced at a grueling training camp in preparation for two imminent international friendlies. Such an audacious act is unforeseen, especially considering the contrastingly smooth sailing of their male counterparts who proudly uphold the esteemed title of World Cup winners.
Laurina Oliveiros, the stalwart wildcard who represented the nation as its goalkeeper, leveled a forceful dispute side by side with the indomitable defender, Julieta Cruz, and living keg of dynamite at the midfield, Lorena Benítez. This disappointing announcement was made as the national team was in the process of sharpening their attacks and defenses in anticipation of duels against Costa Rica on the coming Friday and again on June 3rd.
Cruz chose to vocalize her disapproval through social media, where her shrugged-off struggles and aspirations echoed across the virtual sphere, jarring her followers and supporters. She lamented, “We have reached a painful crossroads where we can no longer ignore the searing injustice, the painful sting of belittlement or the deafening silence against our pleas. Worse yet is the deliberate humiliation that we endure. We are asking more than financially; we yearn for a revolution in the quality of our training, and even our elementary meals.”
The cry of indignation stemmed from the paltry meals offered during their training sessions—a ham and cheese sandwich coupled with a banana, which they rightfully deemed laughable nutrition for supercharged athletes. The two players, Cruz and Benitez, also bemoaned the fact that the national soccer association had informed them that their sweat and blood spent in the two fierce friendlies would not result in any monetary compensation; as a further blow, these matches were scheduled in their home city, Buenos Aires.
Benítez grimly added to the litany of complaints to describe an additional grievance—the audacity of the soccer association to charge their family members 5,000 pesos of hard-earned money for the simple act of watching the match at the stadium.
Attempting to capture the fuller spectrum of their trials, she sighed, “And a million other slights we slog through…”
Laurina Oliveiros, the forsaken goalkeeper, took to Instagram to express her tormented emotions, rallying support with sympathetic snapshots of her donning Argentina’s colors. Her captions expressed the bittersweet reality – her dream was crumbling, and yet she harbored hope for the future players, “With a shattered heart and dreams slowly hemorrhaging away…may the succeeding generation relish the sheer joy of chasing the football, just as we once did.”
In a disheartening development, the national soccer association offered no comment on the players’ decision.
However, amidst the unrest, a faint whisper of solidarity emerged from Estefanía Banini, the celebrated jewel of Argentina, widely regarded as the nation’s most exceptional female player. Reflecting on her own decision to withdraw from the national team the previous year, she offered a heartfelt endorsement on social media for the three brave players, “A matter of time. Thank you for having the courage to bring it into the light.”
The frame of Argentine professional women’s soccer is relatively nascent, with the championship only kick-starting a sparse five years ago. While they appreciate the advancement made in these years, the players are cautiously critical of the pace at which these improvements arrive.
When it comes to South American competitions, Argentina’s women’s teams often find themselves grappling with rivals from Colombia and Brazil, the latter soon to host the coveted Women’s World Cup in 2027.
