The coach of Spain's World Cup-winning women's soccer team was fired Tuesday, less than three weeks after the victory celebration that led to the suspension of the country's soccer federation president for kissing a player.
The Spanish soccer federation offered no immediate explanation for the dismissal, saying only that Jorge Vilda was “key to the notable growth of women’s soccer” and thanking him for leading the national team to the World Cup title and to No. 2 in the FIFA rankings — its highest ever position.
Vilda was among those who at first applauded federation president Luis Rubiales when he refused to resign despite facing widespread criticism for kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent during the title celebrations last month in Sydney.
One of Vilda's assistant coaches, Montse Tomé, was appointed to replace him. She will be the first woman to hold the job.
Rubiales, who also grabbed his crotch in a lewd victory gesture after the final game, has been provisionally suspended by FIFA and faces a Spanish government case against him for the conduct that prompted a storm of criticism and led to widespread calls for his resignation.
Vilda later said Rubiales’ behavior was improper. Men’s soccer coach Luis de la Fuente also initially applauded Rubiales for a diatribe against what he called “false feminists.” De la Fuente later apologized and said his applause was an “inexcusable" human error.
Vilda, who was also relieved of his job as sporting director, had been at the helm of the women’s team since 2015. Less than a year ago, some players rebelled against him in a crisis that put his job in jeopardy.
Fifteen players stepped away from the national team, citing their mental health, and demanded a more professional environment. Only three returned to the squad that won the World Cup.
Vilda was heavily backed by Rubiales throughout the process.
In a statement announcing the firing, the soccer federation expressed its gratitude to Vilda “for the services provided, for his professionalism and his dedication during all these years.”
Vilda "leaves the federation with an extraordinary sporting legacy thanks to the implementation of a recognized game model and a methodology that has been an engine of growth for all the women’s categories of the national team,” the statement said.
During the team’s titles celebration in Madrid after the World Cup, Vilda received a lukewarm welcome from fans. He had been jeered by some during a viewing party during the final match.
The World Cup title was Spain's first since the men’s team won its lone trophy at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. It was only the third World Cup appearance by the women’s team.
The team, known as La Roja, got to the knockout round four years ago but lost to eventual champion the United States. It had not advanced past a major semifinal since the 1997 European Championship.
The president currently in charge of the Spanish soccer federation, Pedro Rocha, released a letter Tuesday apologizing to the soccer world and to society in general for Rubiales’ behavior.
Rocha said the federation had the responsibility to ask for “the most sincere apologies to the soccer world as a whole,” especially to fans and players of the women’s national team, “for the totally unacceptable behavior of its highest representative.”
In no way did his behavior represent "the values of Spanish society as a whole, its institutions, its representatives, its athletes and the Spanish sports leaders,” Rocha wrote.
In other developments, the captains of the Spanish men’s national team on Monday condemned Rubiales’ “unacceptable behavior” in a show of support for the women’s team.
Matt Barnes, who won the NBA Championship with the Golden State Warriors last year, says professional athletes shouldn't be punished for using marijuana and that he actually played his best when high.
The NBA team was one of 17 teams to take part in the first-ever NBA 2K league draft earlier this month, where top video game ballers were selected to compete in an eSports championship.
James Comey's new book "A Higher Loyalty" officially hits stores on Tuesday, but juicy details are already leaking out. The former FBI Director likens President Trump to a mob boss in the book. Trump criticized Comey on Twitter on Friday, calling him an "untruthful slime ball." Comey will do an interview this Sunday ahead of the book's release.
President Trump issued an executive order late Thursday night calling for a review of the U.S. Postal Service. The president wants a task force to look into the financial troubles facing the USPS. In recent weeks, Trump has criticized Amazon for contributing to the USPS's financial downfall. Even though Trump didn't specifically mention Amazon in the executive order, it's implied that he wants the task force to look into his claims against the tech giant.
And Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg sits down with two-time NBA all-star Baron Davis to chat about his life as a tech investor. He's the founder of Sports and Lifestyle in Culture, or SLIC, a company that features and promotes original content from athletes.
The 17-year-old Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast tells Cheddar she worries about limiting herself. The athlete is launching a new clothing line with JCPenney for tweens and teens and a children's book inspired by her Olympic journey.
Approximately 5 million people buy fake tickets every year from unofficial sources. Ticketmaster and the NFL want to combat that problem with a new digital ecosystem, says Greg Economou, Head of Sports for Ticketmaster North America.
The golfer defied all expectations to win his first major championship at the Masters in Augusta, Ga., over the weekend. "It was a dream come true," Reed told Cheddar Monday.
President Trump is stoking fears of a trade war with China yet again. On Thursday evening, Trump threatened more tariffs on China worth $100 billion dollars, on top of the tariffs Trump is already planning. China immediately fired back, saying the country will continue to meet Trump's tariff threats with counter-actions.
President Trump also made news when he finally broke his silence on the Stormy Daniels controversy. When asked by reporters if he knew about the payment by his lawyer to Daniels, Trump quickly said, "no." Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' lawyer, said Trump denying knowledge of the payment is "a gift from the heavens."
Executives and fighters from the UFC were at the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell on Friday in celebration of the organization's 25th anniversary. Amanda Nunes, a UFC fighter, and Lawrence Epstein, the COO of the UFC, join us to weigh in on the milestone and preview the UFC 223 taking place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn this weekend. Epstein also commented on the arrest of UFC star Conor McGregor, saying McGregor's actions don't represent UFC's values.
Lawrence Epstein, COO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, says McGregor's actions are "not representative of who we are" and that there's the potential he's kicked out of the organization. The UFC lightweight fighter was arrested Thursday for stirring up a brawl in New York and attacking a bus of other UFC fighters, leaving two of them injured.
After years of turmoil, Tiger Woods is teeing up as a favorite to win the golf championship this weekend. It could be one of the greatest athletic comebacks in sporting history, says Charles Curtis, Writer at For The Win.
