The turmoil caused by Luis Rubiales' incident after Spain's epic Women's World Cup win has hit the national team once again, as the Royal Spanish Football Federation has decided to sack coach Jorge Vilda with immediate effect.
Football's governing body in Spain has revealed in a press release its decision to part ways with Vilda, who was also the sporting director for the women's team. Vilda led the Spanish side to two U-17 FIFA Women's World Cup titles, to one U-20 crown in 2022, and to four European titles, two with the U-19 team and two more with the U-17 side.
"The RFEF would like to express its gratitude to Jorge Vilda for his years of service, for his professional performance, and for his dedication over all these years, wishing him all the best in whichever job he takes. The RFEF will keep an extraordinary sporting legacy thanks to the implementation of a known style of play, and with a methodology that has been the fuel of growth for all women's football categories in Spain," the press release concludes.
The decision comes as a result of the controversy with president Luis Rubiales, who has been suspended from his duties by FIFA and has even prompted a reaction by sports authorities in Spain. Furthermore, since Vilda was appointed by Rubiales, the decision comes after a press release by the players, who withdrew from the national team until Vilda was released from his duties.
Later, the Spanish Federation appointed Montse Tomé as Vilda's replacement with the National Team. Tomé was part of Vilda's staff since 2018, playing a key role in the team's recent success. Tomé will make history as the first women to lead the Spanish Women's National team, and her first games at the helm will take place in a couple of weeks, when the World Cup champions get to face Sweden on September 22 and Switzerland four days later.
