Ahead of his exit, Jonatan Giráldez addresses Spirit's midseason shakeup
Washington Spirit Coach Jonatan Giráldez on Friday called the decision to depart for the French club OL Lyonnes 'the best for both sides,' speaking for the first time about his abrupt midseason exit from the NWSL club.
'I came here with a plan, probably to stay longer, but some things, you know, in soccer things change so quick,' Giráldez said at a news conference. 'And everything together we found that the best option for both sides was going to Lyonnes for the next season, and here [at the Spirit] they can keep continuing to keep building some things and for sure be able to get a lot of trophies.
'Not ending the season is a little bit strange, but I am not the most important person here. The club is going to continue with [another] head coach, with the same players, with the same fan base. So I'm here right now. In one, two months, I'll be out, but life continues. … I wish them for sure all the best.'
Giráldez, 33, was named the Spirit's coach last January and officially joined the club in June 2024 after finishing the season with Barcelona, where he spent three years and won back-to-back Champions League trophies. He oversaw the second half of the Spirit's 2024 season, which ended with a loss in the final, and won his lone piece of NWSL silverware in March's Challenge Cup. He will lead Washington for its next three games before assistant Adrián González takes the top job on a permanent basis. González's first match at the helm will be Aug. 3, when the Spirit meet the Portland Thorns at Audi Field.
Spirit majority owner Y. Michele Kang owns a controlling interest in Lyonnes, a French power that has won a record eight Champions League titles, through her multi-club organization Kynisca. She also owns England's London City Lionesses.
Giráldez said the move came together within the past few weeks, when it became clear that Joe Montemurro would depart Lyonnes after one season in charge to become coach of the Australian national team.
'From the organization, they thought that the first person to lead that [Lyonnes] project, it's me,' Giráldez said. 'I have to say yes to lead that project, for sure. It's not about them, it's about us, all together, as an organization, owner, CEO and then the sporting director, and then the head coach has to decide.'
Kynisca's global sporting director is Markel Zubizarreta, who overlapped with Giráldez at Barcelona. Zubizarreta is listed as leading all sporting projects at Lyonnes and London City and 'assisting' the Spirit.
Giráldez signed a three-year deal with Lyonnes. Fitness coach Andrés González and analyst Toni Gordo will join him in France. He also said Friday he and his wife, Olaia, are expecting their second child this month.
'I never speak about projects on three, four, five years. You have to speak about today, about the present, about the option that you can grow today and let's see what is going to happen in the future,' Giráldez said. 'We need to be prepared as a professional, we need to be prepared as a family to know that something can change in any moment, and the only thing I can do is be positive on that.'
The Post reported this week that the Spirit last offseason turned down requests by multiple NWSL teams to interview González for head coaching jobs. The 35-year-old went 10-4-1 in his interim stint last year.
'He made an amazing job last season doing a smooth transition,' Giráldez said. 'It was so easy for me to have a good adaptation from Day 1 because all the information he could share and express with the players was brilliant. I'm very proud of him.'
The club limited questions on the coaching transition to Giráldez's opening statement and four follow-up opportunities before shifting to Sunday's match against the North Carolina Courage. Interim general manager Nathan Minion, who took over after Mark Krikorian stepped down earlier this season, and Sporting Director James Hocken were not made available.
González will be the club's fifth permanent head coach since 2021.
'We've gone through a lot of transition. I think we're well positioned for this one because a lot of us have already worked with Adrián,' goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury said Friday. 'We're sad to see Jona go but just very grateful for the time that we had with him, the foundation he's laid, the competitiveness he's brought every day.'
The Spirit was the first club Kang purchased as she built Kynisca, which is based in London. In the years since, Lyonnes and London City have earned trophies, unveiled rebrands and announced plans for dedicated training facilities. (Kang has spoken of a potential rebrand and hopes for a Spirit-specific training complex, but the club has not offered updates on those fronts this year.) Forbes reported this week that Kang is targeting a South American club.
Washington is fourth in the NWSL standings with a 6-3-1 record.
'I don't think the team now is going to have less chances to win because the same ideas are coming for the future,' Giráldez said. 'So I know that it is a little bit strange in terms of organization because we are moving pieces between clubs. But again, all the decisions made are thinking that's the best for both sides and that's the reason why I'm going to leave the club in a few weeks.'
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