Jorge Vilda, who led Spain’s women’s national team to World Cup victory, has been dismissed amidst the ongoing scandal involving Luis Rubiales, the president of the country’s football federation. The scandal emerged when Rubiales kissed forward Jenni Hermoso, who claimed it was not consensual. This incident overshadowed Spain’s World Cup win, leading to a series of events, including most of Vilda’s coaching staff resigning and 81 players refusing to play for Spain.
Rubiales, who has refused to resign, has been provisionally suspended by FIFA. The exact reason for Vilda’s dismissal was not specified in the statement by the Spanish federation, the RFEF, but the organization has been considering his removal since last week. Vilda, who had been in charge of the national team since 2015, had survived a player “revolt” in September 2022.
Of the 15 players who initially protested, only three returned to the squad for Spain’s World Cup victory. Vilda oversaw 108 matches as Spain’s coach, winning 75. The RFEF expressed gratitude for Vilda’s contributions and emphasized the sporting legacy he leaves behind.
In addition to Vilda’s dismissal, the RFEF’s acting president, Pedro Rocha, issued a public apology for Rubiales’ “totally unacceptable behavior.” Rocha plans to refocus attention on the women’s team following the controversy. The RFEF faces a misconduct case related to Rubiales’ actions, and Spain’s men’s players have condemned his behavior, expressing solidarity with the affected players.
