Jorge Vilda sacked by RFEF
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced on Tuesday that it has fired Jorge Vilda, the coach of the Spanish women’s national soccer team, following promises of structural changes amidst the ongoing controversy in the wake of RFEF President Luis Rubiales’ kiss of women’s team player Jenni Hermoso after their recent World Cup victory.
Vilda, who led the team to its first-ever World Cup title in August, was a close ally of Rubiales and was seen applauding his controversial “I will not resign” speech last week. Rubiales had grabbed Hermoso’s head in both of his hands and kissed her on the mouth without her consent during the post-match medal ceremony in Sydney, Australia. Hermoso later said the kiss was non-consensual and sexist.
The RFEF statement made no mention of the reason for Vilda’s dismissal, but went on to list his achievements during his six-year tenure as the sports director and women’s national coach1. “The RFEF would like to express its gratitude to Jorge Vilda for the services he has provided, for his professionalism and dedication during all these years, wishing him the best of success in the future,” the statement said.
Montse Tomé becomes first woman to coach Spain
The RFEF also announced that assistant coach Montse Tomé will take Vilda’s place as head coach of the women’s national team, becoming the first woman ever to hold that position1. Her first game as head coach will be the UEFA Women’s Nations League match against Sweden on Sept..
Tomé, who has been working with the RFEF since 2016, has a UEFA Pro license and a degree in physical education. She has also coached several youth teams and clubs in Spain. She is expected to bring a fresh perspective and a more respectful approach to the women’s team, which had already expressed its discontent with Vilda’s methods and management.
RFEF apologizes for Rubiales’ behavior
The federation’s announcement about Vilda came immediately after it sent its “most sincere apologies” for the “totally unacceptable behavior” of Rubiales, who was suspended by FIFA for 90 days as they investigated the incident. The federation pledged immediate action to improve its governance and “to repair, as far as possible, the damage caused” by Rubiales’ actions.
“The damage caused to Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and the values of football and sport as a whole have been enormous,” the three-page statement signed by interim RFEF President Pedro Rocha said. The statement also acknowledged that Rubiales’ gesture was “a clear violation of the dignity and integrity” of Hermoso and “an affront to all women” involved in soccer.
The RFEF also said it will launch a comprehensive plan to promote gender equality and combat discrimination in soccer, as well as provide psychological support and legal assistance to Hermoso and any other affected players or staff members.
Women’s soccer in Spain faces challenges
The kiss scandal has overshadowed the historic achievement of the Spanish women’s soccer team, which won its first World Cup trophy by defeating England 1-0 in the final on August 20. The team had previously reached the quarter-finals in 2019 and won the European Championship in 2017.
However, women’s soccer in Spain still faces many challenges, such as low salaries, poor facilities, lack of media coverage and sponsorship, and sexism from fans and officials. In November 2019, more than 200 players went on strike to demand better working conditions and a collective bargaining agreement with the clubs.
The players have also been vocal about their dissatisfaction with Vilda, who had been accused of being too strict, authoritarian, and insensitive to their needs. In September 2020, 15 players wrote a letter to the RFEF calling for his resignation, but he refused to step down and was backed by Rubiales.
The players hope that with Tomé as their new coach and Rocha as their new president, they will have more support and respect from the federation and be able to focus on their performance on the pitch.
