The Real Federacion of Espanola de Futbol (RFEF) has sacked the Women’s National Team Head Coach Jorge Vilda amidst the recent controversy involving Luis Rubiales.
The move follows the shake-up in Spanish soccer after RFEF’s provisionally suspended president Luis Rubiales planted a non-consensual kiss on Jenni Hermoso’s lips in the aftermath of the Spanish victory at Sydney. The RFEF issued a statement announcing the sacking all while mentioning Jorge Vilda as, “key to the notable growth of women’s football and leaves Spain as world champions and second in the FIFA rankings”.
The statement adds that this was one of the first moves in restructuring the federation by interim president Pedro Rocha. It also compared Vilda to a person with “impeccable personal and sporting conduct” and underlined him as a “key part of the notable growth of women’s football in Spain.”
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Despite his accomplishments and glamorous titles, Jorge Vilda has been under the radar for quite some time. Tracing back to a year ago, Fifteen Players signed a petition to the RFEF suggesting that they wouldn’t play for the team unless there was wholesome coaching staff changes.
Following the team’s successful triumphs over the Netherlands and Sweden in the World Cup quarterfinals and semifinals, viral videos on social media depicted seemingly indifferent responses from certain substituted Spanish players toward Vilda and his coaching staff, both during and after the post-match festivities. In one particular clip, Vilda was seen attempting to join in the celebration with a group of players after the victory over the Netherlands, yet it appeared as though he was being disregarded.
The controversy surrounding Vilda has escalated after the World Cup final, where footage seemingly captured him engaging in inappropriate contact with a female staff member while celebrating Spain’s goal against England. During the federation’s Extraordinary General Assembly last month, Rubiales, while declining to step down from his role, expressed his support for Vilda and revealed plans to initiate negotiations for a new four-year contract for the coach, valued at approximately $542,000 (€500,000) annually.
