Spain’s world champions celebrate their title premiere exuberantly. As always, initially without their coach Jorge Vilda. The separate bearings are clearly visible. Despite the triumph, it is unclear how the team and the coach will continue.
At the moment of the greatest triumph, a picture of Jorge Vilda is published on the X account (formerly Twitter) of the Spanish women’s national football team. The coach kisses the World Cup trophy and holds up his left index finger. The photo is captioned: “Vilda In.” Two words that unleash a storm of indignation.
“Out,” users answer hundreds of times. As the hashtag #VildaOUT says, whose provocative answer is the commitment to the trainer. Spain has just won the world championship title for the first time, beating the European champions England 1-0 in the final of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. And yet Vilda has to face the question of whether he has a future with the team. “Now we’re going to celebrate the world championship title. Then we’ll see,” he replies shortly at the press conference.
Vilda is actually doing very well. He is the world champion maker. He has success on his side, that’s what many people think. Spain’s gazettes often printed his likeness on their front pages on the morning of the final, celebrating him as a hero even before the finale took place. He has been coaching the national team since 2015, and now Spain has reached the top. “I think a win like this explodes the development of women’s football in Spain. We’ve seen that in other countries like the Netherlands and England,” he said proudly after the win.
Won with or despite the coach?
The Spanish team also impressed in the final against the English, who had been playing dominantly until then. The European champions coached by Sarina Wiegman cannot raise their game as usual. Already in the 29th minute, Olga Caromona scored to make it 1-0, Jennifer Hermoso missed a hand penalty against goalkeeper Mary Earps in the 70th minute. It’s an intense game, a worthy final that is exciting until the final whistle after 13 minutes of added time.
Spain are obviously well adjusted to the English side, with the in-form Salma Paralluelo up front causing a stir. Spain is a team that harmonizes. With the player of the tournament, Aitana Bonmati, as the brains, with goalscorer Olga as the trouble spot, with the usual safe defender Irene Paredes. Vilda did a good job putting the 11 together, so one rendering. He integrated the youngsters, like Salma, who triumphed at the U20 World Cup last year, well into a team that has nine Champions League winners from FC Barcelona in its ranks.
“It’s a huge pleasure, I’m incredibly proud of this team,” says Vilda in an interview on the pitch. “I’m incredibly happy. We did our best, showed that we can fight, and now we’re world champions.”
But there is also another interpretation: the Spaniards won, although Vilda is their coach. After that it looks like cheering again. Or rather: with the cheers. There are two of them. Separate ones, on the one hand the players, on the other the coaching staff. The barrier between the coach and the team is evident throughout the tournament. They form a highly successful unit, but obviously they are not. They cheer alone with the World Cup trophy circling in their hands. And immediately after the final whistle, that becomes clear once again. The substitutes run into their own penalty area, throw themselves at each other – and skilfully ignore Vilda when he stands alone on the lawn to cheer. The 42-year-old only finds well-wishers in his own coaching team. Only later do they all form a circle together.
The hashtag #VildaOUT is trending on X during this World Cup whenever Spain is playing, many people have not forgotten what has been going on since last September. The fact that 15 players have announced their retirement from the national team should Vilda not vacate his post. In a letter to the Spanish football association RFEF, they announced that their health and emotional state was affected. The reason is coach Vilda – there was talk of disrespect, abuse and stubbornness. Since then, it has also been reported that Vilda is a control freak who forbids locking room doors and inspecting bags. Someone who exerts psychological pressure and places little value on stress control.
President vehemently defends Vilda
Association President Luis Rubiales defended the coach vehemently all the time. He is considered a friend of the Vilda family, father Angel Vilda also has a job at the association, in the directorate of women’s football. Rubiales explained on Thursday: “What we endured is a lot. Jorge Vilda is a hard-working man, a world-class coach who rejected other associations that offered more money and stayed with Spain.”
Only three “rebels” returned to the team before the World Cup, Ona Battle, Mariona Caldenty and Bonmati. “We stuck to those who always wanted to be here, who appreciated the great work he did to grow and we forgot the people with resentment,” continued Rubiales: “He kept working and didn’t care about those who wanted to destroy it.”
It is also Rubiales whose joy at the title knows no bounds. As a well-wisher on stage in the midst of FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and Spain’s Queen Letizia, he hugs all the players extensively. He even kisses Jennifer Hermoso on the lips, a video of which also causes horror. “I didn’t like it,” says the 33-year-old shortly afterwards. Overreaching, out of place. Especially since Rubiales himself is under criticism. Last year he was accused by his uncle, Juan Rubiales, of embezzling RFEF funds. He was chief of staff of the association until 2020 and was then dismissed by his nephew. According to “El Mundo”, he had accused his nephew of having billed a sex orgy as a work event. The association rejected this, but the allegation remains.
“The support of the association and the president was essential. But not only from them, also from the employees,” says Vilda after the triumph, thereby confirming what his father said on Radio Marca: “If Luis Rubiales had not been in the association when happened, Jorge couldn’t have lasted 15 more minutes with the national team,” Angel Vilda had said.
make you happy with money
The new world champion coach does not want to talk about the revolt against him at the moment of greatest success, and is cut short when questions are asked. Whether he wants to say something to the players who stayed at home, one question is: “That I’m very happy for everyone we made happy. That’s all.” Meanwhile, Rubiales and the association apparently tried to distract themselves with money. The new world champions each collect more than half a million euros because RFEF tops up the already due 248,000 euros in FIFA bonuses with 300,000 euros per person. The association had previously paid each player 15,000 euros to be able to invite the families to Australia.
During the tournament, the players no longer wanted to comment on the Zoff. “I don’t want to remember everything that happened in the past. I just want to enjoy this sport, inspire our country with this team,” Hermoso said before the semifinals. She did not sign the boycott letter but expressed her support.
The discussions will continue. This is also ensured by Hermoso herself, who dedicated the final entry to the former captain Veronica Boquete, among other things. In 2015, she led the boycott against Vilda’s predecessor, Ignacio Quereda, who held the job for 27 years, or, as the mutineers said, managed it. It may be a hint in the direction that discussions could take after the first celebrations in Spain.