Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary exploring the way Spain’s women’s soccer team came together following their sadly infamous 2023 FIFA World Cup win, Netflix’s ‘It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football’ is unlike any other. That’s because it underscores everything from their initial struggles to be taken seriously to the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s then-president, Luis Rubiales, unexpectedly kissing forward Jenni Hermoso after their historic win. It thus comes as no surprise this original production particularly mentions the squad’s former head coach, Ignacio Quereda, too, especially considering he proudly held that position for over 27 years.
Ignacio Quereda Evolved From a Player to a Coach
Although born in Madrid, Querea, it was while Ignacio was growing up on the streets of Badajoz that he first fell in love with the game of soccer, resulting in him playing in youth teams. He was actually a right–winger for Real Madrid’s under-19 organizations, only to gradually evolve and represent his nation in the 1973 and 1975 World University Games before suddenly deciding to shift gears. He thought being involved in this sport from the sidelines would be a better fit for him, resulting in him earning his coaching certificate in the 1970s, following which he briefly served as Spain’s Assistant Coach as well as the Tercera División club CD Móstoles’ Head Coach.
Ignacio’s relative success in these positions is what led the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to appoint him as the Women’s National Team’s head coach in 1988, only for him to stick around until 2015. This institution sadly never won any titles under his supervision, but they did qualify for several tournaments and often even posed a challenge to others, yet they never it past any knockouts. Nevertheless, he still managed to be one of the longest-serving coaches of all time, despite many actually alleging this is because the federation at the time didn’t really care for the women’s team. The internal feeling was that they had this division because they had to under FIFA’s guidelines, and that’s possibly why the many complaints against Ignacio were dismissed over the years.
Ignacio Quereda Allegedly Had a Problematic Standing
According to the aforementioned series, Ignacio often treated the female athletes under his wings as his daughters rather than professional soccer players. He reportedly pinched their cheeks, was way too comfortable around them, and allegedly even used to slip into locker room talk or make homophobic comments in front of them. However, the one aspect most veteran players still vividly remember is that oftentimes, when discussing strategy in front of a literal drawing board, he used to draw 12 players even though the game is played with only 11.
This particular thing allegedly made the athletes feel as if they weren’t being taken seriously in any way, shape, or form and that their coach was also not entirely qualified for the job despite his long-lasting career. They did reportedly raise concerns regarding the same, yet they were dismissed until he was ultimately replaced by Jorge Vilda in 2015 following Spain’s poor performance in their first-ever Women’s World Cup. This was before it ever came to light that he allegedly used to rudely comment on the girls’ physique, too. Therefore, Ignacio concluded his career with 139 matches under his belt as head coach, with a win percentage of only 38.13% win.
Ignacio Quereda Seemingly Leads a Quiet Life These Days
Ever since Ignacio formally retired on July 30, 2015, he has seemingly chosen to stay well away from the limelight and the hustle of the professional sporting world for privacy reasons. The fact that the women’s team never stopped being surrounded by controversies in the ensuing years is likely another reason he stayed quiet, but he has always made it clear through his actions that he genuinely does love soccer and believed he was the best man for the job of head coach while he served. However, today, at the age of 74, it appears as if he is simply leading a quiet, comfortable life near his loved ones in his homeland, all the while likely also doing his best to immerse himself in other hobbies.
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