Megan Rapinoe “looking forward” to supporting striking Spanish players in person | OneFootball

Megan Rapinoe has revealed she is “looking forward” to supporting the Spanish national team in person.

The US and Spain are set to play in a friendly match at Estadio El Sadar in Pamplona tomorrow evening.

But a number of Spain’s most talented players, including Aitana Bonmatí, Mapi Léon and Ona Batlle, will not be playing.

Why will Spain’s football stars be absent from US friendly match?

The women’s national team is currently in turmoil after 15 players emailed the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to claim that coach Jorge Vilda was impacting their “emotional state”.

The RFEF claimed the players had threatened to resign from the national team if Vilda was not dismissed.

But the players later protested this was not the case, and they were disappointed the RFEF had made their “private communication” public.

“In no case have we resigned from the Spanish national team as the RFEF points out in their official statement,” they said.

But they admitted they had asked not to be called up because of “situations that affect our emotional and personal state, our performance, and consequently the results of the national team”.

Ballon d’Or winner and Barcelona star Alexia Putellas was not believed to be among the 15 players involved, but she later published a statement clarifying the situation.

The RFEF, who want those involved to “accept their mistakes and ask for forgiveness”, have chosen to back Vilda.

What has Megan Rapinoe said about the striking Spanish players?

Rapinoe, who is in the latest US squad, was asked about the situation as she prepared for the match against a weakened Spanish side.

"I feel I can empathise with the players," she said.

"We have seen that many players have come together and expressed, in a respectful way, their concerns about the methodology, their feeling of what needs to improve and having a professional environment in the way they are treated.

"Obviously, I've been in that situation many times, so I know how difficult it is to achieve that.

"I think they need to stick together and have a dialogue. I don't think the Federation can solve anything without talking things out like I think the players did. I would encourage everyone to come together and keep talking.”

Rapinoe revealed that she had not “spoken directly” with the players, but that she felt they struggled with the same problems as the majority of female football players around the world.

"I only heard what is public, but in the end it's the same problems that exist all over the world in one way or another,” she said.

"Are the resources up to par for the players? Are they getting everything they need on and off the field?

"The treatment of the players needs to be improved and the environment needs to be professionalised as much as possible.

"I hope the Federation can let its guard down a bit and have an open and honest conversation with the players and accept constructive criticism to see where improvement is needed and move forward.

having lost 2-1 to England at Wembley last week.