FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Women's Champions League - Group D - FC Barcelona v Benfica - Johan Cruyff Stadium, Sant Joan Despi, Spain - October 19, 2022 FC Barcelona's Alexia Putellas poses with her Ballon d'Or before the match REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
(Reuters) -Ten months after Spain were rocked by a player revolt, coach Jorge Vilda has promised home fans his players are unified and motivated to meet high expectations of 'La Roja' at the Women's World Cup.
Spain were in crisis in the wake of a disappointing quarter-final exit at Euro 2022, with 15 players threatening to quit if the long-serving Vilda was not moved on.
The federation backed the coach, though, and the uprising was crushed as Vilda froze the mutineers out of his squad.
Now a retooled Spain, who face Costa Rica in their World Cup opener on Friday, loom as one of the main challengers to the United States' bid for an unprecedented third straight World Cup title.
"We are well aware that there are high expectations as to what we can do on the field," Vilda told reporters in Wellington on Thursday.
"In the end, that's a privilege and extra motivation for us."
Three of the 15 dissidents, Mariona Caldentey, Aitana Bonmati and Ona Batlle, were welcomed back to the fold, adding to a Barcelona-heavy flavour in the World Cup squad.
Barcelona have become the benchmark in European women's club football, winning the Champions League in two of the last three seasons to break the stranglehold of French side Lyon.
That bodes well for the national team in their third World Cup, four years after the Spaniards were knocked out of the round of 16 by the United States.
Spain was initially slow to embrace the women's game, only qualifying for their first Women's World Cup in 2015.
However, times have changed and professionalism has turned the domestic women's Liga F into a top destination for global talent.
Like other well-resourced nations at the World Cup, playing mothers are now welcome to bring children.
Defender Irene Paredes is travelling with her one-year-old son, who Vilda said was a welcome addition to the group and a sign of how far women's soccer has come in the country.
"We are living in a new situation in that we have a baby in our group and this is a real joy and something that never happened before. It's great," he said.
"Before we were ranked 20-something in the world, now we are sixth ... Now we have players who are recognised as the best in the world."
They include back-to-back Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, who Vilda said was fit to play against Costa Rica despite leaving training early this week.
The Barcelona star has been managed carefully since returning from a long lay-off from a knee ligament injury.
"We are very careful with everything that we do and we're trying every possible means so that Alexia would be in condition to play tomorrow," said Vilda.
Spain are favoured to top Group C which includes Zambia and 2011 champions Japan.
The players expect masses of fans to tune in on a work-day morning for the Costa Rica game at Wellington Regional Stadium.
Being Spain, they not only want to win but to do it in style.
"We want to do this with our attractive style of playing that everybody knows well," said Vilda.
"If a spectator turns the TV on and there were no team colours, it would be great if they could recognise us.
"That's one of the main objectives we have."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
