Spain women's boss Vilda 'to be sacked' as regional chiefs pushing for change

The Spanish FA are reportedly preparing documentation to sack women's national team head coach Jorge Vilda.

Vilda's position has been controversial despite the coach leading Spain to a 1-0 win over England in the Women's World Cup final earlier this month.

Spanish newspaper Diario AS reported that the Spanish FA are preparing to sack Vilda following a meeting with the regional presidents’ committee.

The meeting centred around the leadership of the organisation amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales.

Rubiales has been provisionally suspended by FIFA and facing increasing pressure to resign after he kissed Jennifer Hermoso following the Women's World Cup final.

The regional presidents’ committee had released a statement on Monday calling for Rubiales to resign, as well as pushing for a 'deep and imminent organic restructuring in strategic positions of the federation'.

Rubiales had been a crucial backer of Vilda, whose position had come under threat when 15 of the Spanish national team withdrew from the squad in protest at his management last year.

The territorial presidents’ committee have reportedly approved the decision to dismiss Vilda from his role, however, the power rests with interim Spanish FA president Pedro Rocha and the organisation's board.

Vilda has hit out at Rubiales' behaviour during the World Cup final after his kiss on Hermoso and grabbing his crotch in the stands.

'I regret deeply that the victory of Spanish women's football has been harmed by the inappropriate behaviour that our until now top leader, Luis Rubiales, has carried out and that he himself has recognised,' Vilda wrote in a statement released on Saturday.

'There is no doubt that it is unacceptable and does not reflect at all the principles and values that I defend in my life, in sport in general and in football in particular.

'I condemn without doubt any macho attitude, [which is] far from an advanced and developed society.

'A clearly undesirable climate has been generated, far from what should have been a great celebration of Spanish sport and women's sport.

'I reiterate my unwavering commitment to promoting a sport that is a model of equality and respect in our society.'

Vilda, however, had been criticised after being seen applauding his embattled superior when he made a defiant speech insisting he would not resign just days earlier.

Rubiales had offered Vilda a new four-year contract during his speech.

His public show of support and claims he pressured Hermoso into appearing in Rubiales' apology video reportedly contributed to the territorial presidents’ committee pushing for Vilda's dismissal.

In September 2022, 15 Spain players wrote a letter to the Spanish FA refusing to play unless Vilda resigned, arguing that his reign was affecting their 'emotional state' and amid talk of unprofessionalism.

Rubiales chose to back Vilda, who opted to select just three of the 15 players in his squad for the World Cup.

The protest against Vilda came amid reported he had banned players from locking their hotel rooms, carried out room checks, and went through their bags like 'children'.

All 11 members of Vilda's coaching staff announced their resignations on Saturday, in protest at Rubiales' conduct.

Their resignation has left Vilda, who has been head coach of the women's national team since 2015, as the only member of the women's national team coaching staff still in place.

The fallout from Rubiales' unwillingness to step down reached breaking point in recent days.

All 23 members of Spain's World Cup winning squad signed a statement refusing to play until the 46-year-old was sacked.

Spain's top criminal court is currently probing whether Rubiales' actions during the World Cup 'kiss-gate' scandal constitute sexual assault. He also grabbed his crotch in the royal box alongside Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Infanta Sofia.

Hermoso, who has said she did not consent to the kiss and felt 'vulnerable and the victim of an aggression', has been warmly supported by fellow players and many in wider society.

Rubiales' mother Angeles Bejar has defended her son and has locked herself in the Divina Pastora church in Motril, east of Malaga in southern Spain, and started an 'indefinite, day and night' hunger strike until 'justice is served.'