In a shocking turn of events, Jorge Vilda, the celebrated coach who led the Spanish women’s national football team to World Cup victory just two weeks ago, has been dismissed from his position. The decision comes in the aftermath of a scandal involving Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), who was caught kissing team captain Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup final.
Vilda’s tenure was marked by a tumultuous journey, including a player mutiny a year ago when a majority of the squad demanded his removal. Despite this, the RFEF stood by him, and Rubiales publicly supported Vilda, even promising him a new contract after their World Cup triumph.
However, FIFA’s suspension of Rubiales from all football activities for 90 days following the scandal has thrown the president’s position into disarray. Pedro Rocha has taken over as interim chief of the RFEF, and Vilda’s departure was announced shortly after.
Monte Tome, a former player for Levante and Barcelona, has been promoted from her role as assistant manager to become the first female head coach of the Spain senior women’s team, inheriting Vilda’s formidable legacy.
Vilda’s reign, which began in 2015, witnessed the transformation of the Spanish women’s national team into a footballing powerhouse, achieving remarkable success on both the European and global stages. His departure marks the end of an era, leaving behind an extraordinary sporting legacy in Spanish women’s football.
