Grateful and vindictive. Proud and fighters. Conscious and responsible. Tenacious and firm. The Barcelona footballers received the Medal of Honor from the Parliament of Catalonia and they did so with a speech full of emotion but also of complaints, happy for the recognition and eager to help those who will follow in their footsteps, as befits the leaders in those who have converted. “We are the first team, male or female, to receive this medal and it is an honor and a source of pride,” said Alexia Putellas on behalf of her teammates. “This distinction means a paradigm shift. Society demands it. If it is happening, it is because society changes and has brought us here,” said the double Ballon d’Or winner.
In its decision, the Catalan chamber valued the contribution of the Barcelona team for “contributing to building a more just and equal society in terms of rights and opportunities.” The president of the Parliament, Anna Erra, presented Putellas, as captain, with the gold medal. “Your titles and achievements have made us vibrate and have positioned the club, the city and Catalonia,” Erra highlighted, beyond the two Champions League wins.
And Alexia, in her speech, did not miss the opportunity to demand that an abuse of power like that of the Women’s World Cup final not be repeated, in clear reference to the attitude of Luis Rubiales. “We are here to stay and to help those who will come because there is still a long way to go. These days we are seeing the serious situation that we face with the Federation and the changes that we request so that no woman, inside or outside of football, has to experience a situation of contempt, lack of respect or abuse. We need consensus and courage in the institutions,” she asked.
The president of FC Barcelona, ??Joan Laporta, considered that this medal “helps climb new steps and break down the last barriers that women’s football has always encountered”, in what he defined as a “story of perseverance”. And he insisted that the club will not give up on its bet. “FC Barcelona’s commitment to achieving equality in the world of sport is incorruptible,” he said.
Alexia also had words for all the young women who notice and see themselves reflected in them. “So that this is not a fad, we must demand more and better facilities, more investments and more fields for the base and convenient schedules for each age. We will not fail you,” she promised them.
