Spanish women’s football team coach Jorge Vilda fired after kiss furore
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Spain coach Jorge Vilda celebrating with the Women's World Cup trophy on Aug 20.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MADRID – Spain’s football federation (RFEF) has sacked Jorge Vilda, the coach of its Women’s World Cup-winning team, in the aftermath of the scandal surrounding its president Luis Rubiales kissing player Jennifer Hermoso on her lips.
A new board formed after the suspension of Rubiales by Fifa over the allegedly unsolicited kiss during the World Cup victory celebrations two weeks ago has agreed to terminate the contract of Vilda, who is considered a close ally of Rubiales.
The RFEF has also appointed Vilda’s assistant Montse Tome as head coach, saying that the 41-year-old has “established herself as a key player in the national team’s growth”. She is the first woman to manage the team.
According to a source from ESPN, Vilda was told on Tuesday that he had been sacked, shortly after the RFEF issued a statement apologising for Rubiales’ actions.
It said in its statement that it offered its “most sincere apologies... for the totally unacceptable behaviour of its highest institutional representative during the final of the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023 and in the moments that followed”.
“The damage caused to Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and to the values of football and sport has been enormous,” the RFEF added, in extending the apology to Fifa, Uefa “and especially the players of the Spanish national women’s team”.
Rubiales’ statements after the incident were “inappropriate and meaningless” and “not (the position) of the RFEF”, the federation also clarified.
Rubiales, 46, sparked worldwide outrage when he forcibly kissed Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain defeated England to win the Women’s World Cup in Sydney on Aug 20.
He has been suspended by Fifa pending an investigation but has refused to resign.
Vilda had faced criticism for applauding Rubiales when he made his defiant speech about “false feminism”, although the coach did hit out at the embattled chief’s behaviour afterwards.
He had also been under fire since 2022 after 15 players staged a mutiny, calling for his resignation because of his inadequate coaching methods and micromanaging ways, such as instructing senior players what to say in interviews.
The RFEF said it had opened an investigation into his actions in order “to ensure that such behaviour is not repeated”. It had also committed to conducting a review of all policies and procedures.
The Spanish men’s team have also criticised Rubiales.
Captain Alvaro Morata read out a team statement congratulating the women’s team on a historic feat, before adding: “We want to reject what we consider to be unacceptable behaviour from Mr Rubiales, who has not lived up to the institution he represents.” REUTERS, AFP
