Latest news with #Vilda
Morocco World
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Jorge Vilda: ‘Morocco Has the Best Squad I've Coached So Far'
Head coach Jorge Vilda of Morocco's women's team says the squad is looking to win the 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). The tournament will take place in Morocco this summer from July 5-26, and the Moroccan coach says he is working hard to prepare the squad in the best way. Vilda spoke at a press event where he announced the squad list for friendly matches against Tunisia and Cameroon. 'We hope to play more matches before the tournament to prepare well. We played against Congo and other teams to get ready. We chose teams similar to our opponents in the tournament.' He added, 'Now, with the final FIFA-approved window before the competition, we will play Tunisia and Cameroon. They are tough teams. They will test us, but these games will help us see where we stand before the tournament.' 'In the last year and a half, we made big progress. We have a strong defense,' Vilda continued. 'We also improved our attack and varied our style. The tournament is getting closer, and this gives us more motivation to perform well.' The Morocco head coach said that he has a 'clear criteria' to select players, focusing on both performance and readiness. 'We do not care where a player comes from. The key is that she has a Moroccan passport. We have players from local clubs like AS FAR and Wydad, as well as professionals in Europe and America. Their experience in top leagues is important for us.' In regards to this particular squad, he says he trusts them, adding that it is the 'best I have coached so far. Our goal is to win and make Moroccan fans happy. Once the referee blows the whistle, all teams have the same chance. The team that plays best will win. We hope to lift the trophy,' Vilda concluded. The Moroccan team will face Tunisia on April 4 and Cameroon on April 8. Both friendly matches will take place at the Stade Père Jégo in Casablanca. These are the final tests before the Atlas Lionesses take the continental stage.
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Fighting for change' - what next for Spain & Rubiales after trial?
A total of 550 days after a kiss that shook Spanish and global football, Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of sexual Thursday, Spain's High Court found that the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) kissed Jenni Hermoso without consent during the medal ceremony after Spain won the Women's World Cup in August who has always maintained the kiss was consensual, was fined €10,800 (£8,942). He was also banned from going within a 200m radius of Hermoso and from communicating with her for one year. Rubiales was acquitted of coercion - for allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was Sport explores the key issues in one of the darkest chapters in the history of women's sport. How did we get here? Rubiales kissing one of the biggest stars in women's football and the fallout that followed was the culmination of years of discontent behind the Vilda, Spain's coach at the World Cup, was only the second person to manage La Roja since predecessor, Ignacio Quereda, was in post for nearly 27 years and was sacked only when his entire squad called for his dismissal after their poor performance at the 2015 World Cup. Several players had reportedly refused to play for the national team while he was in September 2022, less than a year before their World Cup win, Spain's players led a 'revolt'. The RFEF released a statement stating 15 players had submitted identical emails saying they would not play for Vilda unless "significant" concerns over their "emotional state" and "health" were addressed.'Las 15' - as the players became known - denied claims they had asked for Vilda to be sacked, but tension followed amid reports of concern over training methods and inadequate game three of 'Las 15' were in the Spain squad for the World Cup in Australia and New defied the odds to win the competition for the first time in their history - but then came the kiss. 'Players went through an ordeal' In her testimony earlier this month, Hermoso said the incident had "stained one of the happiest days of my life".Speaking shortly before the verdict was announced, England and Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, who played in the 2023 World Cup final, praised the bravery of Hermoso and her Spain team-mates."I am good friends with a lot of the players involved around it. It's been incredible that these players have had to go through that," Bronze said during an England news conference."Not only winning the World Cup and the media on the outside of it, but they are in the court case and speaking out. It's incredibly brave of all the individuals and the team collectively. "They are fighting for change, not just in that court case but in their federation. I have been there last season at Barcelona - watching players go through the ordeal after the World Cup was challenging."They are incredible people and unbelievable players as well. We stand by the Spanish players and we wish them the best." 'Society is polarised - and trial reflected that' The phrase 'se acaba' - 'it's over' - became the rallying call in Spain in the hours and days after the Spanish government, Fifa, the United Nations and countless players and clubs condemned Rubiales' one Spain players - including all 23 World Cup winners - said they would not play for the team again while Rubiales remained in charge, while most of Vilda's coaching staff resigned in protest against the initially claimed he was the victim of a "social assassination" and vowed not to resign. He ultimately stepped down nearly three weeks after the kiss had become a landmark moment in Spanish history well before Rubiales' trial began on 3 February."The trial was broadcast on YouTube. The verdict is something that everyone is waiting for," David Menayo Ramos, a journalist at Marca, told BBC Sport before the verdict was announced."Society is polarised and the trial is a reflection of that.""This whole controversy went beyond football and beyond sport," added BBC News journalist Guy Hedgecoe."In a way, it was Spain's 'me too' movement, causing people to look at a relationship between women and men in the workplace." What next for Rubiales? Rubiales has said he will appeal against the court said prosecutors had requested a custodial sentence of two and a half years for Rubiales - one year for the kiss and 18 months for coercion."He is not going to prison but he has always insisted he did nothing wrong," Hedgecoe added."During the trial he said maybe he got a little bit carried away during the medal ceremony and he wasn't behaving in the way he should have done as an institutional figure, but he said there is a big difference between that and committing a crime."Spain play Belgium in Valencia on Friday (kick-off 17:45 GMT) in their Women's Nations League opener. Head coach Montse Tome and captain Irene Paredes will speak to the media in a pre-match news conference at 18:30 GMT on then host Spain at Wembley on Wednesday, 26 February (kick-off 20:00 GMT) as the sides meet for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luis Rubiales trial: Jorge Vilda spoke of ‘consequences' for Jenni Hermoso, claims her brother
On day three of Luis Rubiales' trial for the alleged sexual assault and coercion of Jenni Hermoso, her brother testified that the former Spain women's coach Jorge Vilda had told him the player would face 'personal and professional consequences' if she did not publicly agree with Rubiales' version of the kiss. Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), kissed the Spain player Hermoso as the team were being handed their winners' medals after the 2023 Women's World Cup final against England in Sydney on August 20, 2023. He maintains that the kiss was consensual. The prosecution alleges that Rubiales, 47, and three other RFEF employees — Vilda, the former Newcastle United forward and ex-Spain sporting director Albert Luque, and former marketing director Ruben Rivera — coerced Hermoso into publicly supporting Rubiales' version that the kiss had been consensual. Rubiales, Luque, Rivera and Vilda deny any wrongdoing. On Monday, Hermoso testified she had not consented to the kiss and that she had refused to record a video saying she had no problem with it after Rubiales asked her to do so on their journey back to Spain. During Wednesday's session at the Audiencia Nacional, Spain's national high court in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid, prosecution counsel Marta Durantez asked Rafael Hermoso whether Vilda had approached him during the plane journey to ask him to persuade his sister to take part in the video with Rubiales. Rafael said Vilda came down the plane and first talked to him in an amicable manner about the final, but that his tone then became more serious. 'Vilda said to me: 'The president has sent me to see if you can talk to your sister and convince her to make a joint video to explain that the kiss was consensual, an act of affection and friendship. And that she felt fine and that absolutely nothing had happened',' said Rafael. '(Vilda) told me it was the best thing for everyone… that if this continued, it was going to get bigger and it was going to harm everyone. He said that if she collaborated, things were going to go well for her, that the doors of the federation were going to be open, but that if not, he didn't know what could happen.' Rafael said he had replied to say his sister should not record the video. He testified that Hermoso had told him after the game that the kiss had made her feel 'disgusted'. Rafael added that Vilda had told him Rubiales' daughters were crying after seeing the media storm around their father. According to Hermoso's brother, Vilda said it was 'fair' for the player to help the federation given the 'favours' it had done for her, although Rafael said neither he nor Hermoso knew what this referred to. 'This would get more difficult, heads would fall, this would not be good for her, or for anyone,' Rafael said Vilda told him. 'His last phrase to me was that we should take into account the consequences, professional and personal, that this could have for my sister.' Rafael was also asked about a conversation he had on his arrival back in Madrid with the federation's former director of women's football, Ana Alvarez, who gave testimony in Monday's session. 'I told (Alvarez) what Jorge had said to me,' Rafael said. 'She told me to tell my sister not to do anything, that they were just going to use her to save the president's ass and throw her to the dogs. She told me not to do anything they wanted her to do.' During questioning from Vilda's counsel, Luis Jordana, the court was shown a video of a Spanish TV interview — on the Antena 3 programme Espejo Publico on August 25, 2023 — in which Rafael said that in no moment had he received any pressure from Vilda about the kiss. 'I denied it to protect my sister, I lied on TV, due to what the federation could do,' Rafael replied in court on Wednesday. Also giving testimony to the trial on Wednesday was Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez, who was asked by the prosecution how her team-mate Hermoso had appeared after the game. Rodriguez said Hermoso had taken part in the celebrations, but that she looked different after leaving the dressing room to speak with Rubiales. 'I saw the euphoria had dropped and she was feeling bad,' Rodriguez said. 'Jenni is a happy person (who) enjoys the moment. Afterwards, you could see her thinking of other things, with her head down.' 'On the plane (to Madrid), she cried after Luis Rubiales spoke with her,' Rodriguez also said, in response to prosecution questions. 'She felt pressured to do the video, which she did not want to do.' During day three of the trial, Rubiales' lawyer, Olga Tubau, said the ex-president's daughters, Ana and Lucia, who had been due to appear later in the trial as defence witnesses, would no longer be called to give testimony. They had been due to testify on Monday, February 10. The trial continues. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Spain, Soccer, International Football, UK Women's Football 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
05-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Luis Rubiales trial: Jorge Vilda spoke of ‘consequences' for Jenni Hermoso, claims her brother
On day three of Luis Rubiales' trial for the alleged sexual assault and coercion of Jenni Hermoso, her brother testified that the former Spain women's coach Jorge Vilda had told him the player would face 'personal and professional consequences' if she did not publicly agree with Rubiales' version of the kiss. Advertisement Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), kissed the Spain player Hermoso as the team were being handed their winners' medals after the 2023 Women's World Cup final against England in Sydney on August 20, 2023. He maintains that the kiss was consensual. The prosecution alleges that Rubiales, 47, and three other RFEF employees — Vilda, the former Newcastle United forward and ex-Spain sporting director Albert Luque, and former marketing director Ruben Rivera — coerced Hermoso into publicly supporting Rubiales' version that the kiss had been consensual. Rubiales, Luque, Rivera and Vilda deny any wrongdoing. On Monday, Hermoso testified she had not consented to the kiss and that she had refused to record a video saying she had no problem with it after Rubiales asked her to do so on their journey back to Spain. GO DEEPER The Luis Rubiales trial explained: The kiss, the fallout, the accused and the key witnesses During Wednesday's session at the Audiencia Nacional, Spain's national high court in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid, prosecution counsel Marta Durantez asked Rafael Hermoso whether Vilda had approached him during the plane journey to ask him to persuade his sister to take part in the video with Rubiales. Rafael said Vilda came down the plane and first talked to him in an amicable manner about the final, but that his tone then became more serious. 'Vilda said to me: 'The president has sent me to see if you can talk to your sister and convince her to make a joint video to explain that the kiss was consensual, an act of affection and friendship. And that she felt fine and that absolutely nothing had happened',' said Rafael. '(Vilda) told me it was the best thing for everyone… that if this continued, it was going to get bigger and it was going to harm everyone. He said that if she collaborated, things were going to go well for her, that the doors of the federation were going to be open, but that if not, he didn't know what could happen.' Rafael said he had replied to say his sister should not record the video. He testified that Hermoso had told him after the game that the kiss had made her feel 'disgusted'. Rafael added that Vilda had told him Rubiales' daughters were crying after seeing the media storm around their father. According to Hermoso's brother, Vilda said it was 'fair' for the player to help the federation given the 'favours' it had done for her, although Rafael said neither he nor Hermoso knew what this referred to. Advertisement 'This would get more difficult, heads would fall, this would not be good for her, or for anyone,' Rafael said Vilda told him. 'His last phrase to me was that we should take into account the consequences, professional and personal, that this could have for my sister.' Rafael was also asked about a conversation he had on his arrival back in Madrid with the federation's former director of women's football, Ana Alvarez, who gave testimony in Monday's session. GO DEEPER Spain coach De la Fuente testifies on second day of Rubiales trial 'I told (Alvarez) what Jorge had said to me,' Rafael said. 'She told me to tell my sister not to do anything, that they were just going to use her to save the president's ass and throw her to the dogs. She told me not to do anything they wanted her to do.' During questioning from Vilda's counsel, Luis Jordana, the court was shown a video of a Spanish TV interview — on the Antena 3 programme Espejo Publico on August 25, 2023 — in which Rafael said that in no moment had he received any pressure from Vilda about the kiss. 'I denied it to protect my sister, I lied on TV, due to what the federation could do,' Rafael replied in court on Wednesday. Also giving testimony to the trial on Wednesday was Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez, who was asked by the prosecution how her team-mate Hermoso had appeared after the game. Rodriguez said Hermoso had taken part in the celebrations, but that she looked different after leaving the dressing room to speak with Rubiales. 'I saw the euphoria had dropped and she was feeling bad,' Rodriguez said. 'Jenni is a happy person (who) enjoys the moment. Afterwards, you could see her thinking of other things, with her head down.' 'On the plane (to Madrid), she cried after Luis Rubiales spoke with her,' Rodriguez also said, in response to prosecution questions. 'She felt pressured to do the video, which she did not want to do.' Advertisement During day three of the trial, Rubiales' lawyer, Olga Tubau, said the ex-president's daughters, Ana and Lucia, who had been due to appear later in the trial as defence witnesses, would no longer be called to give testimony. They had been due to testify on Monday, February 10. The trial continues.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hermoso's teammate and brother say in court the Spain player was pressured to downplay Rubiales kiss
MADRID (AP) — The brother of Jenni Hermoso and one of her teammates told a judge Wednesday there were attempts to pressure the player into downplaying the unsolicited kiss by former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales in the awards presentation ceremony following the 2023 Women's World Cup. Rafael Hermoso said in court that former women's national team coach Jorge Vilda asked him to tell Jenni to record a video together with the former president to show she was OK with the kiss. Former teammate Misa Rodríguez said Jenni told the other players that she was being coerced and that she was 'not well' after what happened. Rubiales is on trial for sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup won by Spain in Sydney, as well as for coercion for allegedly trying to convince the player to support his version of the kiss. Vilda and two other former members of the federation are also on trial for coercion. All four deny wrongdoing. Jenni Hermoso says she did not consent to the kiss while Rubiales says it was consensual. The kiss marred the title celebrations and sparked outrage in Spain about the prevalence of sexism in sports and beyond. Rafael Hermoso said his sister told him she was pressurised several times by members of the Spanish federation. 'She came to us half-crying and told us that they were pressuring her to take a stance downplaying the kiss,' Rafael said. Rodríguez said Jenni told them about the kiss and that she did not know how to react to it. She also said that Jenni told them she was being pressurised to record a video and downplay the kiss. 'She told us that she didn't want to do it and we supported her decision,' Rodríguez said. 'We told her that she should not talk to anybody anymore and should try to get some rest, because we noticed that she was not well.' Rafael Hermoso said Vilda came to him on the plane returning from the final in Australia to ask him to talk to his sister. 'We were talking about soccer and the achievement of the team and suddenly he mentioned the kiss,' Rafael said. 'He said that the president wanted me to talk to Jenni to ask her to record the video together downplaying the kiss, because that would be the best thing for everyone.' Rafael added that Vilda told him that Rubiales' daughters were crying and that the president was worried about losing his job because of what happened. He said Vilda told him that he had already talked to Jenni and that she had not agreed to do the video. 'I told him that I was not going to try to convince her to do something that I also don't agree with,' Rafael said. Rafael said he felt Vilda threatened his sister by hinting that things would not be good for her in the federation if she decided not to help. He also said Vilda implied that Jenni owed that to Rubiales' daughters and the president himself. Jenni Hermoso was not called up to the national team immediately after the World Cup, with new coach Montse Tomé saying she wanted to protect the player. Rubiales has yet to testify and denied the charges. He resigned under pressure three weeks later and was banned by FIFA for three years. He said he was the victim of a 'witch hunt' by 'false feminists.' Prosecutors, Hermoso and the Spain players' association want Rubiales jailed for two and a half years, fined 50,000 euros ($51,800) for damages, and banned from working as a sports official. They want the other three defendants sentenced to one and a half years in prison. The trial is expected to last at least 10 days. Rubiales attended the first day on Monday. The coach of the men's national team, Luis de la Fuente, testified on Tuesday. ___ AP soccer: Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press
