The Spain women’s national team beat the United States for the first time ever Tuesday, but the 2-0 win came in the middle of a dispute between Spanish players, their coach and their national federation.

“All the praise goes to my players because they showed all their courage and how to do things the right way,” Spain coach Jorge Vilda said. “We were very competitive right to the end of the match.”

In praising the players on the roster for showing “how to do things the right way,” Vilda also made a point about the players whose names are conspicuously absent.

Spain played the match without 15 players who asked not to be called up to the national team if their concerns for their health and well-being were not addressed. The Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) said the players refused to play under coach Jorge Vilda.

Team captains Patri Guijarro, Irene Paredes and Jenni Hermoso all were absent from the squad for the friendly. While Paredes and Hermoso were not among the 15 players to send letters, both have expressed support for their teammates who did. Spanish star and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas has done the same.

Even without those big-name players, Spain handed the USWNT its second straight loss in front of a record crowd of 11,209 at El Sadar Stadium in Pamplona.

“I think it’s a historic day for Spanish football as we beat the United States, the top team in the world, for the very first time,” Vilda said.

🙌 ¡¡𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗔𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗗𝗢!!

😱 ¡HEMOS GANADO POR PRIMERA VEZ EN LA HISTORIA A ESTADOS UNIDOS!

🇪🇸¡HEMOS BATIDO UN NUEVO RÉCORD DE ASISTENCIA!

🔥 ¡¡𝗟𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗯𝗶𝗲𝗻!!#JugarLucharYGanar pic.twitter.com/Rs9dzZQDAJ

— Selección Española Femenina de Fútbol (@SEFutbolFem) October 11, 2022

Even with the premier win, though, the rift between Vilda and the group of Spain’s best players remains a problem for the national team as it looks ahead to the 2023 World Cup.

Vilda has taken a defiant stance as the disagreement played out ahead of Tuesday’s match.

“This is a farce, on the world stage,” Vilda said on Sept. 30. “It’s hurting women’s football. I can’t see any other solution than to look at this squad and look forward. I’m with those players who want to be part of this national team.”

The 41-year-old also said he has not considered stepping down as coach.

“I wouldn’t wish what I’m going through on anyone,” Vilda said. “A lack of clarity in the message from the players has led people to believe there are non-sporting issues here… I’d ask every player I’ve coached, if anyone can say they haven’t been treated well, to come out and say it.”

LOVB volleyball is coming back to cable, as the pro volleyball league announced a Wednesday night primetime partnership with USA Network for its 2026 season.

From January through April, USA Network will air a "Match of the Week" nearly every Wednesday evening, starting with a 2025 championship rematch between runners-up LOVB Nebraska and title-winners LOVB Austin on January 7th, 2026.

USA Network will also broadcast a portion of LOVB's 2026 postseason, including one semifinal and both games in the league's new two-match championship series.

Gearing up for its second season, LOVB features a talented player pool amid an increasingly crowded pro volleyball market.

One in every five LOVB athletes are Olympians, with 90% of the league's international players and 75% of its US players boasting national team experience.

Even more, growing demand for the sport has expansion on the horizon for the six-team league, with LOVB preparing to launch its seventh franchise in Los Angeles — backed by Angel City and Chelsea FC investor Alexis Ohanian — in 2027.

How to watch the 2026 LOVB season on USA Network

The second season of LOVB opens when inaugural champions Austin take on runners-up Nebraska at 6 PM ET on January 7th, 2026.

Live coverage will air on USA Network.

With the rookie card of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark still doing numbers, trading card manufacturer Panini America is debuting Caitlin Clark Chronicled this week, dropping a limited-edition release on Monday that features a 22-page collectible book and 100-card set of the WNBA standout.

The book spans images of Clark on and off the court, and includes eight four-card packs and 32 randomly inserted trading cards, as well as autographed exclusives.

"I'm excited to launch 'Caitlin Clark Chronicled' with Panini America and share some of my favorite moments on and off the court from my first two years in the WNBA," Clark said in Monday's statement. "We wanted to create something different that combined great photography with trading cards, including some special exclusives. I am proud of this collection and hope fans enjoy it."

The WNBA superstar is an exclusive Panini partner in the trading card and autographed memorabilia space, with Clark making headlines last July when her one-of-one autographed rookie card sold for more than $600,000 — setting a new world record for a women's sports card.

How to buy Panini's 'Caitlin Clark Chronicled' card set

Panini's limited edition Clark collection is currently available for purchase at Target stores and Target.com.

Tensions remain high between the WNBA and WNBPA, after The Athletic reported on Monday that the latest CBA proposal from Players Association more than doubles the league's revenue share offer — suggesting a deepening rift in negotiations.

The union outlined a deal that would give players around 30% of total WNBA and team revenue — a significant leap from the league's proposed 15% share.

According to sources, the WNBPA also suggested linking the salary cap to the previous season's total revenue, factoring in player benefits and the number of teams in the league.

The move intends to undercut an accusation from the WNBA that the players have yet to put forward an economically viable revenue sharing model.

The union's proposal begins at 29% of the prior season's total league grosses, then grows to 34% by the final year of the CBA with a one-time adjustment for the new 11-year, $2.2 billion WNBA media rights deal.

Notably, the league recently rejected a flat 33% revenue share CBA proposal, prompting this week's 1%-per-year increase system in response.

It's clear that the WNBA office and the WNBPA are at odds, but the union is showing their work as both sides strive for a CBA that will keep players on the court in 2026.

Olympic swimming icon Katie Ledecky has done it again, becoming the first woman to break the 15-minute mile with a time of 14:59.62 at her namesake Katie Ledecky Invitational in Maryland.

Smashing her own US record of 15:01.41, Sunday's sub-15 minute mile gives Ledecky the 1,650-meter freestyle's eight fastest times, with US teammate Erica Sullivan earning the ninth-best in 2019.

"This is a special one for sure," Ledecky said afterwards. "This has been a goal of mine, to break 15 minutes in the 1,650, for probably eight or nine years. So, just putting in the hard work, believing that I could do it someday, and to do it at this meet, is really special."

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The 28-year-old Washington, DC, product is the most decorated women's swimmer in the history of the sport, prompting Nation's Capital Swimming — where Ledecky got her start at age six — to name their annual event in her honor earlier this year.

"I definitely was a little nervous before the race, just knowing there were a lot of eyes on me and all that," she continued. "But I knew I could just relax and have fun with it, and whatever happened, happened."

How to watch Katie Ledecky in action

Ledecky's next major competition will likely be the TYR Pro Swim Series, which kicks off in Austin on January 14th, 2026.

The domestic competition series will be covered across NBC Sports platforms.