The Royal Spanish Football Federation is finalising an agreement with a fertility clinic that will allow members of the national team to undergo egg vitrification. The deal is expected to be announced this month, while the federation is still negotiating the precise terms and costs.

The initiative reflects a dilemma that is gaining attention in elite women’s sport. A footballer’s career can extend into her thirties, but pregnancy can mean months away from training and competition, and returning to the highest level after childbirth can be difficult.

Alexia Putellas, Spain’s former captain and one of the most decorated players in the history of women’s football, said the national team captains had raised the issue with the federation. She welcomed the agreement as “a huge step forward”.