Spain women’s national team head coach Jorge Vilda has been sacked after a controversial reign that ended with a World Cup title last month.
With Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales currently suspended over his behavior in the aftermath of the World Cup final, acting president Pedro Rocha confirmed the decision to fire Vilda on Tuesday.
“The RFEF, in one of the first renovation measures announced by president Pedro Rocha, has decided to dispense with the services of Jorge Vilda,” a statement read.
The federation also announced that Vilda’s former assistant Montse Tomé has been named his successor. Tomé is the first woman to be head coach of the Spain women’s national team.
Vilda had been at the helm since 2015, with the final year of his time in charge marked by significant turmoil.
In September 2022, 15 players wrote letters to the federation, decrying Vilda for both a lack of appropriate preparation for games and refusing to grant players privacy, among other issues.
Rubiales swiftly leapt to Vilda’s defense, not only keeping the coach in charge but demanding an apology from the 15 players if they wished to represent the national team again.
Of the group of 15, only three were named to the 23-player roster that lifted the World Cup in Sydney last month.
Even with the World Cup win, the RFEF has been under pressure to dismiss Vilda for some time and finally did so on Tuesday, amid a tumultuous period that has seen Rubiales receive worldwide condemnation for his behavior in the aftermath of the World Cup final.
Rubiales kissed Spain star Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the game against England — an act Hermoso has insisted was not consensual. His refusal to resign has led to Spain’s entire World Cup-winning roster going on strike until he is ousted.
Prior to announcing Vilda’s dismissal, the RFEF released a statement apologizing for everything that has occurred following the World Cup final.
“The RFEF wants to convey to the whole of society and to the whole of world football its deepest regret for what has happened, which has tarnished our national team, our football and our society,” the statement reads. “The damage caused to Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and to the values of football and sport as a whole has been enormous.”
“The actions of Mr. Rubiales do not represent the values defended by the Spanish federation, nor the values of Spanish society as a whole, and his actions must be attributed solely and exclusively to him.”
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