Mason Greenwood's Getafe drop 'Alfonso Perez' stadium name over former Spain striker's sexist comments

The club's Coliseum Alfonso Perez was named after the former Spain and Real Madrid star who was born in the Getafe neighbourhood of the Spanish capital, yet never played a game for his hometown club.

But comments made by the striker following Spain's triumph at the Women's World Cup during an interview with El Mundo last week, rejecting calls for more equal pay and saying that female players "should keep their feet on the ground and know that they cannot be compared in any sense to a male footballer", today resulted in a joint statement between the Getafe town council and the football club communicating the decision to drop Perez's name.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Getafe town council — owners of the stadium — announced: "The City Council and Getafe C.F. agree to rename the city's stadium as 'Coliseum'. The council has communicated to the club that this municipal facility, loaned to Getafe C.F., should be an example to transmit positive values of sport such as equality, solidarity and respect."

The move comes weeks after Getafe attracted widespread criticism for signing Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood on loan, who was suspended by the Red Devils after being charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in October 2022. Though criminal proceedings against Greenwood were dropped, United chose to part ways with the player after a protracted internal investigation.

The dropping of Perez's name offers the possibility for Getafe to seek a sponsor for naming rights for the stadium, a possibility that was confirmed by the city council in its statement.