Spain's World Cup winning coach Jorge Vilda sacked as women's team manager amid Luis Rubiales kiss controversy

Luis Rubiales has been facing the heat all along for kissing Jennifer Hermoso. However, Spain’s coach, Jorde Vilda, was first brought into the picture when it was alleged that he groped a member of the coaching staff’s breast. But now, his relationship with Luis Rubiales has cost him his job.

Before his sacking, Each of Vilda’s 11 backroom colleagues had already resigned in protest against the ongoing crisis centered around Rubiales sharing an unsolicited on-lip kiss with Jennifer Hermoso.

Spain’s World Cup winner coach Jorge Vilda sacked as women’s team manager

Vilda guided Spain to a historic 1-0 victory over England, securing their first Women’s World Cup title on August 20. However, his excitement for achieving this great feat has been shortlived following his subsequent dismissal, just 16 days later. Some claim that his dismissal can be attributed to his ties with the suspended Rubiales, which have now proven to be a source of trouble for him.

Luis Rubiales has been facing a lot of fire over his inappropriate gestures towards Jennifer Hermoso, the Spain Women’s Team’s leading goalscorer in the World Cup. In the heat of the exhilaration that followed Spain’s World Cup victory, Luis Rubiales was seen kissing Jenni Hermoso and grabbing her inappropriately.

The stand-in president of the FA, Pedro Rocha, had earlier promised a restructuring of the RFEF. Hence, Jorge Vilda’s dismissal is considered the beginning of the RFEF restructuring. In a statement confirming Jorge Vilda’s removal, the RFEF said,

“The RFEF, in one of the first renewal measures announced by President Pedro Rocha, has decided to dispense with the services of Jorge Vilda as sports director and women’s national coach.”

The Spanish FA have fired Jorge Vilda as head coach of the Spanish women’s national team, per @Reuters pic.twitter.com/EhsDV1YjD8
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 5, 2023

As soon as the RFEF sacked Jorge Vilda, they appointed Montse Tome in his stead. This was a historic moment, as she became the first woman to be appointed as Spain’s head coach. The RFEF considers her worthy for this position, as they made it clear that she has “established herself as a key player in the national team’s growth.”

Soccer fans are outraged for Luis Rubiales not yet been fired

Luis Rubiales’ ‘kiss gate’ saga has stretched over a few weeks now. His ‘inappropriate’ act has sparked a lot of reactions in Spain; while some believe it’s not a big deal, others think the gesture is a form of gender-based mistreatment. Spanish football expert Semra Hunter noted that;

“The reaction has been polarised in Spain. Some people felt it was no big deal that they were both caught up in the moment, and it was a snap reaction—they were defending him in a way. But other people said what he is doing and thinking, and it’s grossly inappropriate.”

Initially, Rubiales responded to the criticism by saying those who condemned his actions were “idiots.” In a later statement, he accepted that he “had made a mistake” and would “learn from this.”

However, though suspended, Luis Rubiales still has not been sacked, and this is causing more upheaval among groups and some notable individuals in Spain.

Spain’s acting Prime Minister, Pedo Sanchez, has already made it clear that Rubiales’ apology should be disregarded, and others believe the same. “His [Rubiales’] excuses are useless. We ask for the sports law to be applied and the sports federation protocols to be activated. This person should resign.”

Some X Users believe that Luis Rubiales should have been sacked instead of Jorge Vilda. They reason that Luis Rubiales committed the offense in question, not Jorge Vilda.