Jorge Vilda, the former head coach of the Spanish women’s national football team, achieved a historic victory at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. However, this monumental success was overshadowed by a scandal that drew significant international attention. The incident in question involved Luis Rubiales, then President of the Spanish Football Association (RFEF), who kissed player Jennifer Hermoso without consent during the medal ceremony. The act sparked outrage among players, prompting them to demand Rubiales’ resignation.
Despite the backlash from players and public alike, Rubiales resisted calls to step down, labeling the dissent as “fake feminism”and a “social assassination.”Vilda initially sided with Rubiales, which ultimately resulted in both of them losing their positions within the football organization. Presently, Vilda is under investigation due to his support of Rubiales’ statements, but he has taken on a new role as the head coach of the Moroccan women’s football team.
The entire affair is explored in depth in the Netflix documentary It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football, which debuted on November 1, 2024. The documentary features firsthand accounts from players about their struggles both on and off the pitch. According to its synopsis:
Spanish footballers come together for the first time to relive the turbulent 2023 Women’s World Cup and the kiss that overshadowed their victory.
Who is Jorge Vilda and What Has He Been Up To?
Jorge Vilda was at the forefront of Spanish women’s football from 2015 until his dismissal in September 2023 after securing Spain’s first FIFA Women’s World Cup title against England. Unfortunately, his triumph was quickly eclipsed by the scandal involving Rubiales.
Prior to the scandal, Vilda faced criticism from several players. Notably, 15 members of his squad, referred to as “Las 15,”voiced their concerns to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) regarding his coaching methods, which they labeled as excessively controlling. These frustrations came to light even before the World Cup, with players publicly refusing to participate unless their emotional and mental well-being was prioritized.
In a January 2023 interview with the Spanish program Planeta Calleja, player Jenni Hermoso revealed troubling practices under Vilda’s leadership:
“When we were going to bed, we had to leave the door open and wait for (Vilda) to come by and speak to us. He said it was because it was the only moment when he could speak personally with us.”
While some reports suggested that “Las 15″had called for Vilda’s removal, the players themselves have denied these claims. In the face of the allegations, the RFEF, then led by Rubiales, dismissed the players’ concerns and continued to support Vilda. Out of the original 15 who raised issues, only three were selected to participate in the World Cup.
Ultimately, Vilda’s firing following the Rubiales controversy did not cite official grounds, although it is widely speculated that it stemmed from his prior association with Rubiales and his supportive remarks. He remains a suspect in ongoing investigations related to the Rubiales case.
The Incident That Sparked It’s All Over: The Kiss that Changed Spanish Football
After Spain’s remarkable win at the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup, the RFEF president, Luis Rubiales, controversially kissed Jennifer Hermoso during the medal award ceremony without her consent. Reports indicated initial pressure on Hermoso to downplay the incident, creating a narrative that the kiss was consensual.
This situation ignited the #SeAcabó (“It’s all over”) movement, championed by the Spanish players in solidarity with Hermoso. They called for significant structural reform within the RFEF, demanding accountability and change. The fallout from this movement resulted in Rubiales’ resignation, a three-year ban from football imposed by FIFA, and subsequent sexual assault charges. Vilda, who had appeared to align with Rubiales, was also dismissed just 16 days after Mexico’s historic victory.
You can now stream It’s All Over: The Kiss that Changed Spanish Football on Netflix.
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