From mutiny to World Cup glory

Coach Jorge Vilda was derided as a control freak who was not up to the job, but he has now made history by taking Spain to their first Women's World Cup crown.

His team beat England 1-0 in front of a sell-out crowd of nearly 76,000 in Sydney in Sunday's final to seal an achievement that seemed unthinkable less than a year ago.

Discontent between players on the one side and the Spanish football federation (RFEF) and Vilda on the other had been brewing for some time.

In September 2022 the situation exploded -- 15 of the squad emailed the RFEF to say they did not want to be considered for selection, citing their "emotional state".

The exact nature of their complaints was never officially made public, but Spanish media had previously reported that they wanted the 42-year-old Vilda sacked.

Reports said the players, many of whom were at Barcelona, accused Vilda of being "dictatorial" and did not approve of his training methods or tactics.

Mundo Deportivo and other publications said he would insist on the players keeping their hotel doors open before midnight while on national duty so he could personally check that they were asleep on time.

There were also claims that if the players went out, Vilda wanted to know where they were going, with whom, and what they were buying.

Vilda said in the lead-up to the World Cup that the dispute was "practically over", but of the 15 mutineers, he only called up three.

He is a typically guarded character, but following Spain's 2-1 win in the semifinals over Sweden, he said that the turmoil had "made all of us stronger".

"The support of Luis Rubiales, the president of the federation, and everyone at the federation, means so much and will always stay with me, as well as that of my family because they have suffered this year," said Vilda.

Vilda was a promising player in his youth but was forced into coaching by injury.

In 2015, he was made in charge of the senior side.

Spain were at a low ebb, having finished bottom of their group without a win at the 2015 World Cup.

With Vilda at the helm, Spain went out in the last 16 of the 2019 World Cup -- to eventual champions the United States -- and they also failed to get beyond the quarterfinals at two editions of the European Championship.

That lack of success despite the talent of the players at his disposal was also reported to be one of the players' objections to Vilda.

Reports said that Rubiales promised to act on some of the complaints by bringing in a nutritionist and more physios.

There was also a bit more leeway for the players to see their families during camps, including at the World Cup.

But he was always steadfast in support of Vilda.

"Jorge is a top-class coach who gave up the chance with other teams for more money to stay with Spain," Rubiales told Spanish television after the semifinal win.

He and Vilda have now been vindicated -- and then some.