Former Spanish coach Jorge Vilda, winner of the Women’s Football World Cup, was named head of the Moroccan women’s team on Thursday, succeeding Frenchman Reynald Pedros.
Vilda, who won the Women’s World Cup with Spain in August, was fired ten days after FIFA suspended former Spanish FA (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales for giving a non-consensual kiss to the Forward Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony in Sydney.
The 42-year-old coach, who deemed his dismissal “unfair”, was widely criticized for having applauded Rubiales on several occasions during an emergency meeting of the RFEF during which the latter rebelled against the “fake feminism” and vowed not to resign. Vilda is also being investigated by Spain’s High Court in the case of sexual assault and coercion allegedly suffered by Ms Rubiales following the controversial kiss. Initially, only Rubiales was the subject of a formal investigation, while other federation officials and players were called to testify.
Pedros joined Morocco in November 2020 and led the team to their first ever World Cup this year in Australia and New Zealand. They became the first Arab team to qualify for the round of 16, but after two friendly defeats against Zambia, Pedros was dismissed. “The book closes and I am very disappointed not to continue my mission with the Moroccan national A team. But I am very proud to have put this team on top of the world,” Pedros posted on the social network X.