Jorge Vilda out. Spain sacks coach amid furor over nonconsensual kiss at World Cup final

An hour after Spain won its first World Cup title, the federation posted a triumphant tribute to its problematic coach, proclaiming "Vilda in."

Two weeks later, it's Vilda out.

Jorge Vilda is finally gone, dismissed Tuesday by interim Spain federation president Pedro Rocha as the organization tries to clean up the considerable mess of its own making. Since Rocha can't fire Luis Rubiales, who is suspended pending an investigation of his sexual harassment of all-time leading scorer Jenni Hermoso and overall gross behavior, getting rid of Vilda is the next-best way to quiet the worldwide chorus criticizing Spain's federation for its toxic and misogynistic culture.

Not that you would know this, however. In its statement announcing Vilda's dismissal, both as Spain's coach and its sporting director, the federation lavished him with praise. It valued his "impeccable personal and sporting conduct" — no word on if this includes his fawning applause after Rubiales' defiant defense of his behavior and refusal to resign — and said he was a "promoter of the values ​​of respect and fair play in football."

Except when it came to his own players, of course.  

Nevertheless, with Vilda out of the way and Rubiales suspended for at least 90 days, it clears the way for Spain's players, who boycotted the team after winning the World Cup, to return for all-important Nations League matches later this month.

But it still leaves many, many questions.

Who is Jorge Vilda?

He's the son of Angel Vilda, who has considerable influence in Spanish soccer and was once coach of Spain's Under-19 team. Jorge Vilda served as an assistant to his father and as coach of the U-15 team, then moved up to head coach of the U-19 team when his father retired.

Vilda was elevated to lead the senior team in 2015. (Replacing Ignacio Quereda, who'd been accused by his players of verbal abuse, homophobia and a general culture of fear. What is it with men in power in Spain's federation, anyway?) Vilda also was named sporting director, giving him power over the entire women's program.

He led Spain to the round of 16 at the 2019 World Cup, and its first-ever title with last month's 1-0 victory over England in the final of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Why is Vilda problematic?

Spain has arguably the best player pipeline in the world, but it is largely the work of the domestic clubs. Barcelona in particular. After both youth teams won World Cup titles with coaches other than Vilda, and Spain crashed out of last summer's European championship with a lackluster performance, questions were raised about how good a coach Vilda actually was and whether Spain was succeeding in spite of him.

Spain's players voiced their concerns after Euros, specifically noting Vilda's heavy handedness, overwork, treatment of injuries and roster choices. When nothing changed, 15 of the 23 sent identical emails to the federation last September, saying they would not play for the team again unless there was an improvement in conditions. Hermoso and two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas didn't send emails, but publicly expressed support for their teammates.

The federation responded by effectively blackballing the players, saying they would only be allowed back if they agreed to “accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness.” Several of the players did ask to rejoin the team, only to have Vilda use the World Cup roster to exact his revenge. He took only three of the 15 players, along with Putellas and Hermoso.

Vilda refused during the World Cup to address the players' complaints, though he did say several times how hard this year had been for him.

Is that why Vilda was fired?

Hahahahahaha, no. He was fired because Spain's federation — all of Spanish society, really — is undergoing a reckoning prompted by Rubiales' behavior after the World Cup final. And because the furor was considered a potential threat to Spain's joint bid with Morocco and Portugal for the men's World Cup in 2030.

Rubiales was seen grabbing his crotch while standing next to Spain's queen and her teenaged daughter. Then, during the victory ceremony, Rubiales grabbed Hermoso's head and kissed her without her consent, and told the team in the locker room he planned to marry Spain's all-time leading scorer. Hermoso later said she felt as if she'd been assaulted, saying, "what happened was sexist, impulsive, out of place, and non-consensual.”

While the federation has been roundly criticized for its dismissive treatment of female players — it ignored its women's program for decades, and still doesn't treat it equally to its men — the Rubiales scandal has prompted debate on whether this is the actions of a few bad actors or a reflection of Spanish society as a whole.

What's the link between Vilda and Rubiales?

Vilda and his father — he's got a lot of influence, remember? — were supporters of Rubiales' bid for the federation presidency. When Rubiales made his defiant speech to the federation convention Aug. 25, insisting he'd done nothing wrong and saying he would never resign, Vilda was seen applauding enthusiastically.

Rubiales, in turn, gave Vilda his unconditional support. He even offered Vilda a new contract during his rant.

Now what? And who is Montse Tomé?

Montse Tomé is Spain's new coach, the first woman to head the national team in its history. She'd been an assistant on Vilda's staff since 2018, but quit in protest with several other coaches and staff members last month after Rubiales refused to resign.

The question is will Tomé have a team to coach.

World Cup champions said they would not play again until "the team's leaders resign," potentially threatening Spain's chances of a first-ever Olympic appearance. Spain's next game is Sept. 21 against Sweden in the Nations League, which is being used to determine which two European teams join host France at next summer’s Paris Olympics.

The four group winners advance to the Nations League semifinals, with the finalists qualifying for Paris. If France makes the Nations League final, the team that wins the third-place game would get Europe’s last spot.

Spain is in a group with Sweden, which finished third at the World Cup, Switzerland and Italy. That would seem to make the game against Sweden critical for Spain’s hopes of qualifying for its first Olympics.

With Vilda gone and Rubiales suspended, it seems to clear the way for the players to return.

Are Vilda and Rubiales done?

Never underestimate the ability of the privileged to recover from a scandal that should be their undoing. Soccer is no different than other sports, and some desperate country is sure to see Vilda as its chance to make quick improvement in a game that's growing by the minute.

As for Rubiales, his future is murkier. The federation initially seemed ready to stand behind him, going so far as to post statements defaming Hermoso. Since FIFA and Spain's sports authorities announced separate investigations of Rubiales, however, the federation is throwing him under the bus.

In a statement before Vilda's dismissal was announced, Rocha apologized for the controversy and its overshadowing of the women's World Cup title. He also said the federation "is providing all the documentary and administrative support required by both disciplinary bodies in order to have a definitive resolution as soon as possible to repair the damage caused."

Rocha also said the regional federations, which last week asked for Rubiales' resignation, are doing a review of their policies to make sure a similar embarrassment doesn't occur in the future.

"They firmly and unanimously commit to have in the coming days a whole set of actions to improve the governance of the Spanish Football federation and to repair, as far as possible, the damage caused," Rocha said in his statement.

"Finally, we want to once more congratulate our national team for their historic win, recognizing the impact and legacy that their victory will have in the future of Spanish football," Rocha said. "We are convinced that millions of people of all ages were inspired by their spirit, and we cannot be prouder of the way they have conducted themselves, both on and off the pitch. In due course, it is our intention to give the spotlight back to them and to celebrate their achievement in the way that they deserve."

Nowhere in the two-page statement does Rocha mention Hermoso by name.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.