Jorge Vilda, the coach of Spain’s Women’s World Cup-winning team, has been sacked by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) following a scandal involving the suspended federation president, Luis Rubiales, who was sanctioned by FIFA for kissing national team player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth during World Cup celebrations. The RFEF, under a new board formed after Rubiales’ suspension, terminated Vilda’s contract. While the RFEF thanked Vilda for his contributions to women’s football, it didn’t directly reference the scandal.
This controversy has sparked a national debate on women’s rights and sexist behavior. Vilda had faced criticism from players who accused him of micromanaging and inadequate coaching methods. Some players had even called for his resignation last year, leading to a mutiny.
Luis de la Fuente, the men’s national team manager, and Vilda initially supported Rubiales but later condemned his behavior. The captains of Spain’s men’s national team also expressed their disapproval of Rubiales’ conduct, offering their support to the Women’s World Cup-winning team.
Meanwhile, Pedro Rocha, the interim president of the Spanish football federation during Rubiales’ suspension, issued an apology for Rubiales’ behavior, stating that it doesn’t reflect the values of Spanish society, its institutions, or its athletes. FIFA has provisionally barred Rubiales from all football activity while investigating his conduct.
