Jorge Vilda

Spain women's youth national football teams

A former youth player at the academies of Barcelona, Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid,^[2] Vilda began as an assistant coach to his father, Angel, at WU17 and WU19 level, before taking the head coach's position with Spain's WU17s in 2009. During five years at that level, Spain won gold (2010 & 2011), silver (2014) and bronze (2013) at UEFA Women's U-17 EUROs,^[3] in addition to silver (2014) and bronze (2010) at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

In 2014 he was among the ten nominees for that year's FIFA Coach of the Year for Women's Football, and was appointed to the head coach's role with Spain's WU19s, who collected silver medals at the UEFA Women's U-19 EURO in 2014 and 2015. Vilda was appointed as head coach to the senior side later that year.

Spain women's national team

Appointed Spain's senior head coach in 2015, succeeding Ignacio Quereda, Vilda oversaw a successful qualifying campaign for the UEFA Women's EURO 2017.^[4] At the competition in the Netherlands, they reached the quarter-finals, where they lost on penalties to Austria after a 0–0 draw.^[5]

In 2018 Spain won the Cyprus Cup and also secured their place at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup – only their second appearance at the global event. Additionally, Vilda oversaw Spain's victory at the UEFA WU19 EURO, which contributed to being shortlisted for the award of The Best FIFA Woman's Coach 2018.^[6]

By 2019, many of the players that Vilda had worked with at youth level, including Alexia Putellas, Amanda Sampedro, Virginia Torrecilla, Lola Gallardo, Nahikari García, Patri Guijarro, Mariona Caldentey and Ivana Andrés, had all established themselves as regular senior-squad members. At France 2019, Spain qualified from Group B in second place (behind Germany and ahead of China and South Africa), the first time Spain had reached the knockout stages of the FIFA WWC.

Drawn against 2015 champions U.S. in the Round of 16,^[7] two penalties from Megan Rapinoe ended Spain's chances of reaching the last eight. Vilda and Spain's momentum continued into 2020, with La Roja finishing second in the SheBelieves Cup – beating England and Japan and losing to hosts United States.

2022–23 player dispute and World Cup title

In 2022, a dispute broke out between Vilda and fifteen Spanish players who boycotted the national team. The dispute arose after what the players, dubbed Las 15, perceived as a disappointing result at UEFA Women's Euro 2022, as well as their concerns about Vilda's coaching style and his retaliatory treatment of players.^[8][9]

The RFEF supported Vilda,^[10] who refused to resign^[11] and did not call up Las 15 for the following matches.^[12] Thirteen of them returned to the national team and competed in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.^[13] In this tournament, Spain became world champions after defeating England 1–0 in the final, thanks to Olga Carmona's goal.^[14]

Following the scandal regarding the actions of the president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, and his subsequent suspension, on 5 September 2023, Vilda was dismissed by the acting president, Pedro Rocha, as national coach.^[15] On 27 September 2023, Vilda's status in the case was upgraded from witness to suspect and he was required to testify on 9 October.^[16][17] On 20 February 2025, Vilda was acquitted on the coercion charges involving Rubiales.^[18]

Despite leaving Spain for another coaching position, Vilda remained under investigation.^[19]

Morocco women's national team

After the Rubiales incident, which led to his dismissal and criminal investigation,^[17] on 12 October 2023, he was announced as the new head coach of the Moroccan women's team.^[20] He was recommended to the Moroccan FA by his former employers, the RFEF.^[21] He was nominated for the African Women's Coach of the Year Award in 2025.^[22]