World Cup winning head coach Jorge Vilda has been appointed as the new boss of the Morocco women’s national team just a month after being sacked as Spain manager.
Vilda was in charge as Spain lifted the World Cup trophy on 20 August, but was out of a job by 6 September when he was dismissed. The disgraced boss, who saw 15 players refuse to be called up by Spain in the wake of Euro 2022 – citing mental wellbeing – has landed his new job, despite being under investigation as part of the criminal case against former RFEF president Luis Rubiales.
By the time Vilda got the boot, issues between Spanish players and the RFEF had been ongoing for over a year. Players and staff alike resigned in protest following the non-consensual kiss on Jenni Hermoso by Rubiales, who initially refused to step down, publicly promised Vilda a bumper new contract and has still failed to accept any wrongdoing as he faces criminal prosecution in Spain – he denies charges of sexual assault and coercion. The latter relates to Hermoso’s allegation of pressure put on her friends and family to support and defend Rubiales over his actions.
Vilda is currently under investigation for the alleged coercion aspect of the case against his former boss and RFEF crony and appeared in Spain’s national court on 10 October.
Spain’s players only returned to national team camp last month on the proviso that their demands for wider change within RFEF – who initially stood by Rubiales and threatened Hermoso with legal action for speaking out, before issuing a grovelling apology to the footballing world – were met.
Vilda will now head up a Morocco side that made history during the summer as the first Arab country to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, unexpectedly reaching the knockout rounds after two wins. The 42-year-old replaces Reynald Pedros, who had led the team since 2021.
Morocco, for whom Tottenham winger Rosella Ayane is a star player, previously finished as runners-up to South Africa at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations and are hosting that tournament in 2024.
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