The Spanish football association RFEF has parted ways with world champion coach Jorge Vilda.
In its statement on the premature end of the collaboration, the association highlighted the “impeccable personal and sporting conduct” of the 42-year-old, who had led the Spaniards to victory at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in August. Vilda has played a “key role in the remarkable growth of women’s football in Spain,” it said. It was not announced why the contract, which runs until August 2024, is being terminated. Vilda’s previous assistant, former international Montserrat Tomé (41), was appointed as his successor.
Vilda has held the post of women’s national team coach since 2015. He had his first major problems last September when 15 players announced their resignation from the “Selección” in protest at his way of working. The association then held to the coach. Vilda and also men’s national coach Luis de la Fuente caused great outrage at the end of August when they applauded the association boss Luis Rubiales, who has since been suspended by the world association FIFA in the wake of the kiss scandal, at an RFEF meeting after his defense speech. In addition to many others, ministers in the left-wing government in Madrid then called for the two to be dismissed.
Union boss Rubiales suspended for 90 days
Rubiales kissed player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth at the awards ceremony after Spain won the World Cup final in Sydney on August 20. He claims the kiss was mutual. After the incident, Hermoso said she “felt the victim of an impulsive, sexist and inappropriate act that I did not consent to.”
FIFA suspended Rubiales for 90 days and initiated disciplinary proceedings. However, the 46-year-old official still refuses to resign as head of the association, although this was also requested by the regional associations of the RFEF, among others. However, the national association rejected the possibility of a vote of no confidence against the suspended president.
