Spain’s World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda has been sacked as part of major changes by the RFEF in the wake of the Luis Rubiales scandal.
Vilda led Spain to World Cup glory last month when his side beat England 1-0 in the final, despite facing a mutiny one year previously, when a majority of the squad called for him to be removed from the post.
As a result of the mutiny, 15 players vowed not to play for the team until he left. However, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) stood by Vilda, who was vehemently backed by president Luis Rubiales. The president even promised to give Vilda a new contract after Spain won the World Cup.
But the president’s position has been rocked by FIFA’s decision to suspend him from all football activities for 90 days after grabbing and kissing captain Jenni Hermoso after the final. Rubiales refused to resign in an extraordinary press conference but FIFA’s suspension meant he was temporarily removed from the RFEF, with Pedro Rocha acting as interim chief.
The RFEF announced that Vilda had been sacked in a statement on Tuesday, just hours after issuing a lengthy letter apologising for Rubiales’ ‘unacceptable’ conduct.
“The Royal Spanish Football Federation, in one of the first renewal measures announced by president Pedro Rocha, has decided to dispense with the services of Jorge Vilda as sports director and women’s national coach,” read the statement.
“The RFEF appreciates his work at the head of the National Team and in his functions as the head of sports for the women’s teams, as well as the successes achieved during his time, crowned with the recent achievement of the World Cup. We value his impeccable personal and sporting conduct, being a key piece in the notable growth of women’s football in Spain.
“Since his arrival at the Federation, Jorge Vilda has given a notable boost that is reflected in the great results obtained. As a coach, he won the U-17 European Championship twice and also won the U-19 European Championship, with winning the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand being the greatest of his achievements. When he took over the National Team bench in 2015, the national team was far from the elite and currently occupies second position in the FIFA ranking.
“As sports director, Spain has won the U-17 World Cup twice (2018 and 2022) and also won the trophy in the U-20 category (2022). In addition, their record includes two U-19 European Championships and two U-17 European Championships, with the national youth team currently being the most successful.
“The RFEF would like to express its gratitude to Jorge Vilda for the services provided, for his professionalism and dedication during all these years, wishing him the best successes in the future. The RFEF is left with an extraordinary sporting legacy thanks to the implementation of a recognized game model and a methodology that has been an engine of growth for all the women’s categories of the national team.”
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