Explosive Departure: Spain Women's Coach Jorge Vilda Axed Amidst RFEF President Luis Rubiales Turmoil
Controversial coach Jorge Vilda has been sacked by Spain Women's team amid fallout with RFEF president Luis Rubiales After winning the Women's World Cup final against England, 15 players called for Vilda's removal He was seen applauding Rubiales during his controversial speech Montse Tome has been named as Vilda's immediate successor
Jorge Vilda, the coach who guided the Women's World Cup-winning team, has been dismissed by the Spanish FA due to the controversy surrounding its president, Luis Rubiales. Despite leading Spain to a 1-0 victory over England in their first-ever Women's World Cup triumph on August 20, Vilda's association with the suspended Rubiales has ultimately led to his downfall.
Montse Tome has been appointed as Vilda's immediate successor by the RFEF, making her the first woman to assume the role of Spain's head coach. Tome, who had been serving as Vilda's assistant since 2018, has proven to be a pivotal figure in the national team's development, according to the RFEF.
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Montse Tome, the assistant to Jorge Vilda, has been appointed as his immediate replacement by the RFEF. Pedro Rocha, the interim president of the Spanish FA, has vowed to reorganize the RFEF in an open letter where the governing body also expressed apologies for the significant harm caused by Rubiales' actions. In a subsequent statement, Vilda's removal was officially confirmed.
"The RFEF, under the leadership of President Pedro Rocha, has recently made the decision to part ways with Jorge Vilda, who served as the sports director and women's national coach," it stated.
"We highly appreciate his exemplary character and his significant contribution to the remarkable development of women's football in Spain. Throughout his extensive tenure, Vilda has actively championed the values of respect and fair play within the sport."
All 11 of Vilda's colleagues in the backroom had already quit in protest due to the continuing crisis involving Rubiales. Rubiales had been photographed kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the celebrations on the field in Sydney.
Vilda faced criticism himself for supporting Rubiales' controversial statements during a press conference. The RFEF president had adamantly refused to step down and had criticized "fake feminists".
The speech led to all 23 of Spain's World Cup squad ruling themselves out of selection while the president remained in post.
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Jorge Vilda led Spain to their first Women's World Cup on August 20 but has now been sacked
During the speech, Rubiales acknowledged Vilda as the top coach in women's football and guaranteed him a new four-year contract worth €500,000 per year. Vilda later issued a statement criticizing Rubiales, but refrained from demanding his resignation or dismissal.
The 42-year-old has long been a controversial figure as Spain head coach. In September, a group of 15 players sent a letter to the RFEF, threatening to boycott the team unless Vilda was fired. Sources revealed that their dissatisfaction stemmed from issues such as injury management, locker room atmosphere, team selection, and training sessions. Rubiales initially supported Vilda and warned the rebellious players of potential bans lasting up to five years. However, three of the players who signed the letter, Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmati, and Mariona Caldentey, were eventually included in Vilda's World Cup squad.
Analysis: Untenable position for Vilda and Spanish national side
According to our chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol, the tide turned against him on August 28 during a meeting of regional FA leaders, where interim RFEF president Pedro Rocha took action following Rubiales' suspension by FIFA. It was during this meeting that calls were made to remove Vilda as part of a restructure at the top of the federation.Last Thursday, we were anticipating this occurrence. Pedro Rocha, the president of the RFEF, traveled to the south of France for the Champions League draw. His priority was to expedite this matter due to an upcoming Nations League game for Spain's women's team.
There was a highly absurd and unsustainable situation where the entire squad, along with an additional 83 players, had signed a letter stating their refusal to play under Jorge Vilda or Luis Rubiales.
The resignation of his entire backroom team added to the impossibility of his position as head coach of the world champions. With no players or staff, it was evident that he could not continue in his role.
It was the pictures of Luis Rubiales delivering a speech at the extraordinary assembly that ultimately sealed his fate. Vilda was captured applauding Rubiales' words, and this further solidified the belief that his time as head coach was over.
A few days later, he attempted to retract his previous stance by issuing a statement, expressing his disagreement with Rubiales' actions. However, he fell short of explicitly demanding his departure. Nevertheless, it comes as no surprise that he has now been dismissed from his position. From an external perspective, some may find it astounding that someone who has recently achieved victory in the World Cup has been ousted from their job. However, numerous issues were simmering beneath the surface, and a considerable number of players within the Spanish team were dissatisfied with his leadership.
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The rise and fall of Vilda: A timeline
July 2015: Takes over as Spain's head coach following the dismissal of Ignacio Quereda due to his underwhelming results in the 2015 Women's World Cup.Quite a lot wrote an open letter last year expressing their refusal to continue playing under his leadership, but Rubiales chose to support him instead of them. Now that the head coach has been relieved of his duties, it is evident that Rubiales's position is also in jeopardy.
September 2018: Earns eighth place at the FIFA Best Awards as the best women's coach, having successfully guided Spain to qualify for their second ever World Cup. Additionally, under their leadership, the U19s attain victory in the Euros.
June 2019: Accomplishes a historic achievement by securing qualification from the World Cup group stage for the first time in Spain's history. However, their journey comes to an end in the last 16, where they are overcome by the victorious USA team.
In September 2022, fifteen players from Spain expressed their discontent with the performance of the national team in Euro 2022 by writing a letter that criticized the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and called for the dismissal of manager Vilda. Additionally, they stated their refusal to represent the country as long as he remained in his position. In response, RFEF president Luis Rubiales publicly supported Vilda and issued a warning to the rebellious players, threatening them with a five-year ban from selection.
Fast forward to May 2023, and it is interesting to note that three out of the original fifteen players who had criticized Vilda and the RFEF - Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey, and Ona Batlle - have now been included in Vilda's World Cup squad.
August 20, 2023: Spain triumphs in the World Cup final against England in Sydney, marking Vilda's remarkable leadership as he guides his team to their first major trophy. However, a disappointing turn of events ensues as the crowd jeers when Vilda's name is announced.
August 25, 2023: Vilda stands alongside men's manager Luis de la Fuente at a press conference, where Rubiales vehemently declines to step down despite criticism and defends Spain forward Jenni Hermoso, resulting in applause from Vilda. Making a public commitment, Rubiales ensures Vilda of an upgraded contract as a gesture of appreciation during his speech.
On August 26, 2023, the entire coaching staff of Spain women's team, except for manager Vilda, resigns collectively. Vilda subsequently expresses dissatisfaction with Rubiales' behavior in a statement to the Spanish media, but does not directly request his resignation. Following suit, the entire World Cup-winning squad of Spain refuses to participate in international matches until Rubiales steps down from office.
By August 28, 2023, FIFA imposes a 90-day suspension on Rubiales, prompting regional leaders of Spanish football to demand his resignation. Reports also emerge suggesting that the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has approached UEFA, urging them to consider suspending Spanish teams from international competitions.
On September 5, 2023, the RFEF issued a statement through interim president Pedro Rocha expressing sincere apologies for the significant harm caused by Rubiales' actions. Additionally, they assured the public of their commitment to implementing an organizational restructuring plan. In another statement on the same day, the RFEF announced the termination of Vilda's employment, commending him for his contributions in progressing Spain's women's teams.
