Tome knew her time in charge was likely to end going into Euro 2025, with her contract due to expire this summer and no apparent desire to offer an extension.
Women’s football director Reyes Bellver joined the RFEF in February and sources in Spain say she made it clear she wanted to make deep and genuine changes to the structure.
After high-profile controversy and incidents involving former federation chief Luis Rubiales and World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda, Bellver wanted to create a fresh culture.
However, experts in Spain say the team’s performance at Euro 2025 – reaching the final before losing to England in a penalty shootout – delayed the decision to let Tome go, with some members of the board questioning the sporting justification for change.
A unanimous decision by the board was required but they eventually agreed, with sources close to the Spanish players admitting Tome did not hold total authority in the dressing room.
Journalists and supporters in Spain are widely in favour of the decision to let Tome go, given she was assistant manager to Vilda and part of the previously poor culture.
However, there is frustration over the RFEF’s decision to appoint Sonia Bermudez as Tome’s replacement with some in Spain questioning her lack of experience and the fact she was also part of the structure – albeit in the youth teams – when Vilda and Rubiales were involved.
Bermudez was a key player for Spain in her career and has had success at youth team level as a coach, so that does bring optimism, while her assistant Iraia Iturregi is experienced and has an impressive CV.
The expectation is that they will take on this highly talented group of players and try to ensure they retain their status as the world’s best at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.