After the final whistle, at the end of the second extra time against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, an image marked the spirits on the side of Spain: Jorge Vilda celebrated it alone or with his staff but not necessarily his players . Few clapping his hands or running to him for this historic moment.
A scenario à la Corinne Deacon, without the same ending
It must be said that Jorge Vilda is not unanimous within La Roja. Ten months ago, fifteen international players had indeed submitted a letter to their Federation to challenge the presence of the 42-year-old Madrilenian, with a clean record as a player but who has led the selections of young Spanish girls to the top in Europe.
In September, each player had therefore sent an email to the Spanish Federation to explain a situation that they no longer accepted and which “seriously” affected their “emotional state and their health.”
Irène Paredes, Jennifer Hermoso and Patri Guijarro had already explained to the media that they felt a general malaise while denying having asked for his resignation.
If at first, the identity of the rebels was not known, we still found executives of La Roja: Guijarro, Mapi Leon, Panos (Barça goalkeeper who had asked to be reinstated), Bonmati, or even Caldentey. Each refusing at the time to return to selection as long as the forties was still there. Hermoso (taulière) and Putellas (double Ballon d’or) providing their support publicly.
But ten months later, Jorge Vilda is still there, he who has been in place since 2015, well supported by his Federation and with a historic result. If some of the rebels are not present, Bonmati or Caldentey have been taken over and contribute greatly to the Spanish success. Some also see Bonmati as the designated successor to Putellas at the Ballon d’Or.
Did Vilda finally manage to convince these players to devote themselves to him? The fact of being able to get something in Australia and New Zealand, given the quality of the Spanish pool, did it play into these presences? Or did he make a change in his way of managing his group?
Still, a few hours before the semi-final against Sweden, a big nation in women’s football, Vilda is drinking whey. And the results prove him right.
“We have a president who reacted with courage, who supported me and the staff. There is a lot of unity in the group, a good atmosphere, a desire for competition, professionalism and ambitionhe confided. At the moment I’m very happy, I think of all the management we had to do, and obviously it’s not over – we continue with a lot of will to make everyone happy.
Strong choices that bear fruit
If his management methods have been challenged, he has on the other hand succeeded by his tactical choices and strong decisions. For this World Cup, he had already hit hard. Among the rebels, he only agreed to take over three.
During the competition, he also surprised by his turn-over around a typical Spanish game pattern but which is also effective. Implying that there is no essential star in the group.
Double Golden Ball in title and seriously injured a year ago (forfeit for Euro 2022), Alexia Putellas does not have this status of indisputable holder, being satisfied with two tenures and climbs to the game in five games.
Rising star of Spanish football, Salma Paralluelo has been used as a joker in the quarters … wisely. His physique, his speed made the difference at a time when the Netherlands were gasping for breath. Here too a validated choice.
Pointed among the favorites for its third participation, Spain has almost never disappointed in this World Cup. Except against Japan against whom she took a saving slap, forcing her to question herself before the final phase of the tournament. What the Spaniards managed to do brilliantly.
Ten months after the sling, the departure of the coach is even less in the papers of the RFEF. Where in France, where the management of Corine Deacon was also questioned, the situation had evolved towards a new dynamic but with an elimination in the quarter-finals this Saturday.
