Kissing Scandal: Spain’s FA Sacks Coach Jorge Vilda Weeks After Winning Women’s World Cup

The head coach of Spain’s Women’s World Cup-winning team, Jorge Vilda, has been sacked due to the ongoing Luis Rubiales kissing scandal.

Jorge Vilda who has been the head coach of Spain’s women’s team since 2015 survived 15 players revolt in September 2022 but couldn’t survive Rubiales’ kiss scandal.

Recall that ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia, 15 Spanish women footballers wrote “identical emails” to Spain’s football federation (RFEF) saying they wouldn’t play for Vilda unless “significant” concerns over their “emotional state” and “health” were addressed.

Since Jorge Vilda is a close friend of Luis Rubiales, the suspended Spain’s football federation president, no action was taken against him. Instead, only three players out of the 15 irate players were taken to the World Cup which they won after beating England in the final.

Suspended Spain’s president Rubiales celebrating with Coach Jorge Vilda after Spain won the 2023 Women’s World Cup on August 20, 2023. 

The victory was overshadowed by the fact that striker Jenni Hermoso said it was not consensual when Rubiales kissed her during the medals presentation.

Due to Rubiales’ refusal to resign over the scandal, 81 players have decided never to play for Spain until the FA president is duly punished. In line with that, FIFA suspended him temporarily as they began disciplinary procedures against him.

Vilda has since denounced Rubiales’ actions even though the embattled FA president promised to extend his contract for winning the first Women’s World Cup for the country.

But Vilda’s denouncement came after he was seen in a video clapping for Rubiales when he declared to Spain’s FA extraordinary general meeting in August that he wouldn’t resign over a kiss.

While the world is waiting for FIFA’s final verdict on this scandal, the interim Spain’s FA president Pedro Rocha has sacked the 42-year-old World Cup-winning coach.

A statement from Spain’s FA reads, “The RFEF appreciates [Vilda’s] work at the head of the national team and in his functions as the head of sports for the women’s teams, as well as the successes achieved during his time crowned with the recent achievement of the World Cup.”

“We value his impeccable personal and sporting conduct, being a key piece in the notable growth of women’s football in Spain.”

Jorge Vilda led Spain’s women’s national teams to two consecutive quarterfinal appearances at the European Championship, winning 75 of the 108 games he oversaw.