Jorge Vilda fired as coach of Spain’s women’s national soccer team: NPR

Jorge Vilda stands during the Women’s World Cup semi-final soccer match between Sweden and Spain on August 15 in Auckland, New Zealand. Spain’s soccer federation announced Tuesday that it had fired Vilda as coach of the women’s national team.

Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Hide title

Change the title

Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Jorge Vilda stands during the Women’s World Cup semi-final soccer match between Sweden and Spain on August 15 in Auckland, New Zealand. Spain’s soccer federation announced Tuesday that it had fired Vilda as coach of the women’s national team.

Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Spain’s football federation has sacked its women’s national team coach, Jorge Vilda, and named Montse Dom as its new coach – the first woman to hold the role in Spain.

The changes come amid a continuing fallout from federation president Luis Rubiales’ actions at the Women’s World Cup final – including forcefully kissing star forward Jenny Hermoso and making a vulgar crotch-grabbing gesture.

In Deposition of Wilda On Tuesday, the confederation said “Gracias, Jorge” and released a statement, that during her eight-year reign “played a key role in the remarkable development of women’s football and left Spain as world champion and second in the FIFA rankings. .”

A statement released by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, known as the RFEF Not to mention that Vilda’s job hung in the balance because of his association with Rubiales and the worldwide condemnation he received following Spain’s victory in last month’s tournament.

Members of Spain’s World Cup-winning team and dozens of other Spanish players announced on August 25 that they would refuse to play for Spain while the “current leaders” continue. Many understood that the players were demanding the removal of both Rubiales and Vilda.

Dom’s appointment sends a message

Montse Tomé, seen here in 2019, is the first woman to be the head coach of Spain’s women’s national football team.

Oscar J. via Getty Images Barroso/Europa Press Sports

Hide title

Change the title

Oscar J. via Getty Images Barroso/Europa Press Sports

Montse Tomé, seen here in 2019, is the first woman to be the head coach of Spain’s women’s national football team.

Oscar J. via Getty Images Barroso/Europa Press Sports

Dom, a former player, has been Wilda’s assistant coach since 2018. The team’s first matches with Domé were against Sweden and Switzerland in the UEFA Women’s Nations League – both teams Spain beat at the Women’s World Cup.

Her appointment came immediately after Vilda’s firing, and the message was clear: a talented woman was now in charge of the world’s best women’s soccer team — a team that had bowed out from winning the trophy.

“Tomme … established himself as a fundamental element in the development of the national team.” The federation said.

Wilda’s problems predate the World Cup controversy

Last year, many of the country’s top players refused to play under Wilda, saying they were too controlling. Three of those players ended up on the World Cup roster, but others stayed at home as Spain marched to their first title in the tournament.

Spain coach Jorge Vilda spoke with Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales during a training session during the Women’s World Cup last month.

See also  NFL Christmas Day Top Plays: Brady, Bucs dominate in OT; Rams, Packers win

Catherine Iville/Getty Images

Hide title

Change the title

Catherine Iville/Getty Images

Spain coach Jorge Vilda spoke with Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales during a training session during the Women’s World Cup last month.

Catherine Iville/Getty Images

Rubiales supported Wilda throughout the controversy, while refusing to resign as confederation president for his actions at the World Cup, which he offered Wilda. A new four-year deal Half a million euros per year.

“You deserve it, George, we’ve been through a lot, a lot. I’ll always say you’ve been one of the best managers in the world in women’s football. Honestly, I tell you, you’re the best,” he said. rubialase, According to Athletic.

Vilda and Spain’s men’s national team Both coach Luis de la Fuente praised Rubiales’ speech to the Spanish federation after the World Cup. He refused to resign. Both then issued statements condemning him.

De la Fuente’s work is now safe. Friday, Federation published an explanation For his wide-ranging decision to praise de la Fuente Rubiales.

Rubiales was expected by many to resign at that emergency meeting, but instead he steadfastly refused. Rubiales claimed he kissed Hermosa with her consent after Spain’s World Cup win, but has denied the claim, saying she was a “victim of aggression”.

De la Fuente said he praised Rubiales at the emergency meeting because he “was convinced that we were attending the ethical farewell of a president, but it turned out to be something completely different.” He said he had to “apologize for an unforgivable human error” and that “I was left blank, it was a situation that overwhelmed me”.

Spain’s football federation apologizes for its president

Rubiales Temporarily suspended A 90-day suspension from all football-related activities by FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, is ongoing. The Spanish government is also pursuing several cases against him, including whether he committed the crime.

Earlier on Tuesday, RFEF Interim President Pedro Rocha, issued a statement It apologizes to the “football world” – specifically the national teams of Spain and England – for Rubiales’ “inappropriate behaviour”.

“Spanish society is an example of tolerance and civility … and the nobility and international respect of our society and our sport have been tarnished in recent days by the performance of Luis M. Rubiales,” Rocha wrote. “The damage done to Spanish football, Spanish sport, Spanish society and the set of values ​​of football and sport is enormous.”

“We deeply regret the damage caused; therefore, from this RFEF, we seek a most sincere apology and a firm and complete commitment that such incidents will not happen again,” the statement continued.