Spain's Football Body Plans to Sack Women's Team Coach Jorge Vilda in Connection to Luis Rubiales ‘Kiss-gate’

(Photo: SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images) Spain's head coach Jorge Vilda applauds the crowd after his side won the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup final football match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney on August 20, 2023.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is discerning whether or not it could dismiss Spanish women's football team coach Jorge Vilda in connection to RFEF president Luis Rubiales's controversial act of kissing squad member Jenni Hermoso during their celebration of the team's 1-0 win against England at the FIFA Women's World Cup.

The RFEF was also considering filing a lawsuit against Hermoso for her comments on the kissing incident.

Vilda, alongside Rubiales, remains in his post despite most of his coaching staff resigning in protest against Rubiales's intention to stay following the scandal, the BBC reported.

Read Also: Spanish Football Federation Considers Suing Star Player Over Comments on World Cup 'Kiss' Fiasco

Revamping the RFEF

Regional leaders of the RFEF have convened for an extraordinary general meeting with interim president Pedro Rocha on Monday (August 28) where they called for a restructuring of the federation to start a new era.

However, a third of the local football association executives have declined to dismiss Rubiales, who was suspended for 90 days by FIFA, but merely called him to resign, which he refused to do.

Rubiales backed Vilda when 15 national team players left the team to protest the latter's management, which they said was affecting their emotional state and health.

Only three of the 15 players opted to return to the squad to seize their nation's football glory in this year's World Cup.

Aside from the coaching staff, 81 Spanish team players, including all 23 World Cup winners, have also said they would not play for the team unless Rubiales resigned.

The coach was also spotted applauding Rubiales when he said he would not quit his position over the incident, in which he dismissed the calls for him to resign as a "social assassination." However, Vilda has since criticized his behavior.

It was also reported that Vilda was caught on camera grabbing the breast of one of the team's staff.

With this context, the RFEF believed the incidents could be sufficient to sack Vilda.

Related Article: FIFA Women's World Cup Scandal: Luis Rubiales Suspended After Kissing Player