Markel Zubizarreta left his position as football sports director of the Spanish women’s team. The coach called to revolutionize and, above all, to refresh the women’s section of the Federation after years of turbulence, left his job after seven months. “This week my relationship with the federation will end. It has been a difficult and complex decision, it is given by a proposal from the world of clubs that is irrefutable considering the family context and level of personal growth. When he came to my house, being a father of two children, it was impossible to say no,” summarized Zubizarreta, ideologist and architect of Barcelona, champion of three of the last four editions of the Champions League. His future will be linked to the group led by businesswoman Michelle Kang, owner of Olympique de Lyon (France), Washington Spirit (United States) and London City Lionesses (England). Zubizarreta will serve as the holding company’s football director, a position similar to that held by Txiki Begiristain at the City Group, owner of Manchester City and Girona, among other teams.
On Thursday afternoon, alarm bells rang in the Spanish federation. Zubizarreta left Las Rozas. Just at the moment when it seemed that peace was beginning to be breathed in the women’s team, the sports director said goodbye. “I am happy with these months that I have been in the federation. We have things left to do, but we have helped to generate calm and stability in something that was in turmoil,” said the coach. He landed in the position on November 22. Alongside him, came Gonzalo Rodríguez, his right-hand man during his time at Barcelona. “I leave Gonzalo flying solo, I think that Spanish women’s football is in the best hands. Everything that comes will be good,” he stressed. Zubizarreta was in charge of football, Rodríguez of the organization.
It was precisely Zubizarreta who managed to build a bridge between the footballers and the federation. In fact, it had been the players who had asked for the coach to join them. The leaders of the group knew Markel from their time at Barcelona and wanted to copy the professionalisation model of the Blaugrana entity. And Zubizarreta had begun the restructuring. Even Patri Guijarro, one of the last of the 15 who had signed the letter not to be called up to the national team again in 2022, had agreed to return to Las Rozas. “It’s not that I resolve things, it’s the federation that does. These are personal issues, deep reflections, people who have stopped participating in the biggest competitions in the world…,” Zubizarreta explained.
“They have been very good months, I have met incredible people,” he said goodbye. And he added: “We have made changes that will be seen. We have just formed a women’s football committee in which we have developed a clear strategy for this area. I am grateful to Pedro Rocha. In all departments I have met highly valuable professionals.” Zubizarreta leaves the RFEF with less than a month left before La Roja’s debut in the Games against Japan. This week will be his last in the RFEF. His goodbye puts the focus back on the world champion team a few weeks before the Paris Olympic Games. “There is something that this team does not deserve and that is to be surrounded by noise. I feel very bad about generating it. I hope it’s the minimum. I know that they are all focused on the future of Olympic participation,” concluded Zubizarreta.
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