In 2018, Spanish women’s teams won the under-17 and under-19 European championships and finished second in the under-20 World Cup. News media attention has increased. Corporate sponsors have begun to show interest in women’s soccer, which helps them to be associated with a social cause and to receive hefty tax benefits. And there has been a broad societal insistence on gender equity by Spanish women, who have taken to the streets in recent years to demand change.

“The rise of women in all fields is important for Spanish society to cross barriers and evolve,” said Jorge Vilda, 37, who was hired to coach Spain’s women after their disastrous 2015 World Cup. Vilda also serves as director of women’s soccer for the national federation.

Speaking through an interpreter in March in Barcelona, Vilda said the example being set in Spain was “a way to show that a sport in Europe that is very masculinized can also be practiced at the top level by women, who can fill stadiums and draw very good audiences on TV.”

Problems persist, however. Technically, Spanish law still does not allow for a women’s professional league in the country. And some athletes in various sports continue to have contracts voided after becoming pregnant.

But there have been many changes, some small and symbolic. Names have been placed on the backs of jerseys in the Spanish league’s top division to make players more easily identifiable. Members of the national team have had their per diem doubled, to about $135 a day, and Spain’s soccer federation last week announced that it would invest 20 million euros ($22.8 million) directly in women’s soccer next season.