Spain's Women's World Cup winning boss Jorge Vilda sacked after players and staff revolt

Posted Wednesday, September 06, 2023 by Dailystar.co.uk

Spain women's national football team manager Jorge Vilda has been dismissed after a player and staff revolt which followed their World Cup final triumph over England

Spain's Women's World Cup winning boss Jorge Vilda sacked after players and staff revolt
Jorge Vilda has been sacked after winning the World Cup with Spain (Image: PA)

Spain women's national football team manager Jorge Vilda has been sacked just weeks after he led them to World Cup glory.

Pedro Rocha, the interim president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation during the suspension of Luis Rubiales, has led the decision to dismiss Vilda despite him only recently being offered a contract extension worth £429,000 a year by Rubiales.

The president was suspended following his infamous kiss on the lips of Jenni Hermoso after their 1-0 win over England in Sydney, having been the biggest supporter of Vilda.

Vilda spent five years working with Spain women's youth sides before stepping into the senior role back in 2015 and spending eight years in the role.

The 42-year-old had turned his back and offered a statement hitting out at Rubiales a matter of days before his sacking, having stopped short of calling for his colleague to leave.

The playing squad had insisted that they wouldn't play until Rubiales was removed from his position, with Barcelona boss Xavi and the men's team captains both condemning his actions.

Vilda was at the centre of a despite with Spanish players back in 2022 as 15 players boycotted the national side. They expressed concerns at his coaching style following a poor Euro 2022, as well as his treatment of players.

The Federation supported the manager at the time and did not call up those players with only three returning to compete in the World Cup.

The announcement came after the Federation apologised for the 'enormous damage' caused by the Rubiales kiss and his subsequent actions, which followed a bizarre series of events which included his mother going on a hunger strike.

The federation said: "Those actions do not reflect at all the values of the whole Spanish society, its institutions, its representatives, its athletes and the leaders of Spanish sport.

"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."

It added: "We are sorry that this incident has disrupted what should have been an ongoing celebration of football both for our national team and that of England's Lionesses, who were a truly remarkable rival in a thrilling final."