Ten days after the one year anniversary of Jorge Vilda's most critical moment as Spain's women's coach, when a letter was published in which fifteen of his players (among them the captains) asked that the way of managing the team be changed group (later they denied that they were asking for the dismissal of the coach), Vilda lived his greatest moment of glory when on the night in Sydney his pupils lifted the World Cup after beating England 1-0.
Restrained in celebrating the historic goal by Real Madrid's Sevillian winger (Olga Carmona, voted MVP of the match), the coach was visibly emotional on the pitch in front of the TV cameras: “We've made a lot of people happy. We have shown how we can play. I am very proud and now it is only time to celebrate ”.
Minutes before he had harangued his players in a huddle, many of them crying: “You have messed it up very badly. Today you have 75,000 people here standing up for you. And tomorrow, a whole country will take to the streets, ”she told them with a broken voice.
As soon as the referee whistled the end of the game, Vilda's first thoughts were for her family: “As soon as it was over I turned and saw my wife and daughter in the stands. My little son couldn't come. He is at home. I have remembered all the people who love me, my parents. We are a small family and I am very happy for everyone. I imagine how Spain can be. Now it's time to celebrate. We are going to start celebrating here and I don't know when it will end”.
Jorge Vilda, a 42-year-old from Madrid, is the son of Ángel Vilda, who was Johan Cruyff's physical trainer at Barcelona. Since 2015 he has been the women's national coach, replacing Ignacio Quereda, who resigned amid all kinds of accusations after spending no less than 27 years on the bench.
Jorge Vilda formed a tandem with his father at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas when in 2010 he was appointed coach of the Under-17 team while his father was in charge of the Under-19 team. With this selection he won two European Championships, two European runner-ups, a world bronze, a European bronze and a world runner-up. Three years later, he replaced his father on the U-19 bench.
If Vilda has a lot to thank someone for, it is Luis Rubiales, president of the Federation since 2018. The man from Granada kept the women's coach in office in the midst of the storm. Vilda has always recognized it. This is how she expressed herself in the middle of the World Cup: “I would like to acknowledge the backing and support of our president, Luis Rubiales, from day one. Without it we would not be here. I'm pretty sure all this wouldn't have happened. We have a president who reacted with courage and trusted me and my technical team, and we are very happy with the whole process,” she said.
Luis Rubiales also showed his happiness before the TV cameras: “I am very happy and very proud of the team. There are 23 exceptional women, and Jorge and the staff, from all of Spanish football. Today is an unforgettable day”.
And he continued: “It is often said that we will find out, but I am perfectly aware now. We have worked very hard, although there were people who did not want to let us work. I think we have to learn in Spain to value positive things. To let people do their job. That small percentage of people who were constantly frustrated and resentful must learn that you have to let people work. You can't talk about anyone with ignorance. From there, I go to the other 99.99%. He is going to Spain, we have the best country in the world and I am very proud that the queen has come with the infanta and to see all the squares in Spain full ”, he affirmed.
