Esther González, 33, world champion with Spain in 2023, signed a contract through 2027 with Al Qadsiah of Saudi Arabia. 🇸🇦
But what was supposed to be a sports news story turned into a scandal when several media outlets noticed that the footballer had deleted or archived the photos on her Instagram with her partner, Estefanía Cruz, and her daughter, born in January this year. This is no small detail: in Saudi Arabia, same-sex relationships are illegal, and González had been a visible voice for years in the fight for women’s rights and the LGBTIQ+ community.
She did not offer any explanation. Nor did she clarify whether her departure from Gotham FC, which was announced at the end of July as “personal matters”, had anything to do with this new destination. What did become clear is what people think: “She’s a coward” and “she traded her principles for money” were some of the comments that flooded social media. 💬