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Last year's FIFA Women's World Cup saw a number of national teams accusing their respective federations of maltreatment compared to their men's teams. Argentina became the latest senior women's team to enter the fray as the players accused the Argentine Football Association (AFA) of "humiliating" pay and inadequate conditioning with three players quitting the national team.
The trio of Goalkeeper Laurina Oliveros, midfielder Lorena Benítez, and defender Julieta Cruz stepped down from the Argentina women's national team as they left a training camp on Monday ahead of a friendly double-header against Costa Rica on Friday, May 31 and June 3. The players joined one of the nation's best-ever female players, Estefanía Banini, who had earlier parted ways with the team.
The trio of Oliveros, Benitez, and Cruz are regular starters for the side and will not feature for the team until the Argentina FA responds to demands for improved finances, training, and nutrition. Despite the Argentina men's national team winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the situation of the women's team is disappointing as per the players.
Oliveros took to her Instagram handle and wrote, "With a broken heart and a thousand illusions that slowly fade away." She added, "My wish for this year and the following? That generations to come may enjoy and be happy running behind the round, as perhaps at some point we were."
Cruz also took to Instagram and wrote, which can be translated to, "Represent your country, always try to leave everything, strive, sacrifice and leaving a thousand things aside, comes a point that tired the injustices, that tired not to be valued, not to be heard and worse still be humiliated; you have to have memory, be empathetic with the one I have next to, because yes I'm not definitely can't be on a team."
Benitez followed suit and wrote a lengthy passage, claiming, "It was a personal decision, for several very sad reasons that I have been living with the selection of my country."
Appreciating their brave decision, Estefanía Banini lauded the players as the Atletico Madrid midfielder reacted, "Matter of time! Thank you for daring to speak "
