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The Spanish Football Federation has fired Jorge Vilda, as the fallout following the Women’s World Cup final continues.

During the medal presentation ceremony, RFEF president Luis Rubiales gave Jenni Hermoso a non-consensual kiss on the lips, prompting widespread scrutiny and a disciplinary investigation from FIFA.

FIFA has since handed Rubiales a 90-day suspension after he refused to resign and tripled down on his actions during Spain’s World Cup celebrations. In his absence, the RFEF’s committee of regional presidents made the decision to sack Vilda, closing one unfortunate chapter of a whirlwind saga between the RFEF and the women’s national team.

The sacking comes less than two weeks after Rubiales’ erratic speech, refusing to step down from his position and even presenting Vilda with a new four-year contract. Vilda initially backed Rubiales, but later issued a statement condemning his actions following backlash from his coaching staff.

With Vilda finally out of the picture following over a year of controversy that has seen 12 players boycott the national team since 2022 and the entire coaching staff walk out in protest over Rubiales’ actions, the focus is solely on the federation’s disgraced president.

While Vilda’s sacking is one that has been long-awaited, it’s hard to celebrate when it took global ridicule and daily, widespread media coverage for the RFEF to part ways with the coach they stood behind in spite of their players’ safety and wellbeing.

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