Sport

Sacked Spain Coach Vilda Says Dismissal ‘Unjust

Published

3 years ago

September 6, 2023

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Sacked Spain women’s coach Jorge Vilda says he has a clear conscience and his dismissal 16 days after La Roja’s World Cup triumph was unjust.

The 42-year-old was removed from his post by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Tuesday in the wake of the Luis Rubiales scandal.

RFEF president Rubiales was suspended by FIFA after he kissed Spain player Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony in Sydney on August 20, while the Spanish government is seeking further sanction.

Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual, while Rubiales continues to insist it was.

After Rubiales refused to resign, over 80 players went on strike from the women’s side until the leadership of the RFEF was removed.

“The explanation (for the sacking) was ‘structural changes’,” Vilda told radio station Cadena Ser.

“After everything that has been achieved, giving absolutely everything … I have a clear conscience.

“I gave 100 percent and I don’t understand it, I don’t think my sacking was deserved.”

Before the World Cup 15 players refused to play for the national team because of disagreements with Vilda and the federation, although many relented and three were called up for the tournament.

After the tournament Rubiales had pledged to extend Vilda’s contract by four years and give him a significant pay hike.

“I’m feeling as good as you can after becoming world champions 16 days ago, 10 days ago having your contract renewed with a higher salary and then today being sacked, I think unjustly,” said Vilda.

The former Spain women’s coach was criticised for applauding Rubiales’ controversial speech in which he railed against “false feminism” and refused to resign.

“I will never applaud anything macho,” added Vilda. “I didn’t know where that meeting was going, we thought we were going to see a resignation.

“The president was evaluating your work and announcing your renewal — that I applauded.”

Vilda said he had not spoken to Hermoso recently but knew she was suffering after the incident.

“I’ve known Jenni for 16 years,” said Vilda.

“I know she’s having a hard time, I know her family is having a hard time, and I know she’s waiting for all this to be over.”

Vilda took over the Spanish women’s national team in 2015, after years spent coaching younger age groups within the RFEF.

Players had complained about his training methods and tactics after Spain were eliminated in Euro 2022 by England in the quarter-finals, as well as other issues around the team.

Vilda was also criticised for being excessively “controlling” by former players. Spanish reports said he demanded to check players’ shopping bags and made the squad leave their bedroom doors open during team training camps to make sure the players were still there in the evenings.

Despite the complaints, Rubiales and the federation stood by Vilda and the coach called up several younger players to fill in for the 15 missing stars in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Vilda’s former assistant Montserrat Tome has been appointed as the new coach — it is the first time a woman has led the team.

‘Presumption Of Innocence’

Dani Carvajal, a defender for the Spanish men’s team, did not want to comment on Vilda’s dismissal on Wednesday when asked about it in a news conference.

“Internally decisions are made that us players can’t go into,” said Carvajal.

“All I can tell you is that we will back (men’s coach Luis) de la Fuente until the end, the decisions about them are not up to us.”

READ ALSO: Record-Setting Djokovic And Gauff Steam Into US Open Semi-Finals

Real Madrid right-back Carvajal drew criticism for comments on Spanish radio late Tuesday about the Rubiales incident.

Carvajal had said “there are people who must decide if there is a culprit or a victim” and he would not condemn Rubiales before knowing “what really happened”.

“In no moment did I say that Jenni was not the victim, I just said that the presumption of innocence (until proven otherwise) has to be maintained,” said Carvajal.

“If she’s having a tough time we have to show solidarity with her, that’s clear, like any person — I don’t think the president is having a good time either.

“I am not here to judge or label anyone.”

AFP

International News

Iran squad travel to Turkey for friendlies, US visas

Published

22 hours ago

May 18, 2026

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Iran’s national football team was headed to Turkey on Monday to play a final friendly match and apply for visas to fly to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, Iranian media reported.

The team plan to participate in the tournament despite co-host Washington having launched a war against Iran with a massive wave of attacks alongside ally Israel on February 28.

The fighting has been on hold for weeks thanks to a ceasefire, but peace talks have failed to make a breakthrough and new drone attacks against Gulf countries at the weekend combined with threats from US President Donald Trump raising fears of a return to fighting.

The team “departed this morning for Antalya, Turkey to play its final friendly match before flying to the United States for the 2026 World Cup,” the Tasnim news agency reported.

It said the squad consisted of 22 domestic-based players alongside their coaching staff.

On Saturday, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said they would also be completing visa applications for the US while in Turkey.

– ‘Let ’em play’ –

Iran secured their spot at the World Cup in March 2025, but since then the United States has twice launched attacks on the country.

US officials have insisted that Iran is welcome at the tournament, while organiser FIFA has said it will go ahead as planned and rejected Iranian suggestions that their games be moved to co-hosts Mexico or Canada.

“I think let ’em play,” Trump said in late April.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any problem would not be with Iranian players but “some of the other people (they) would want to bring with them”, suggesting they may have ties to the Revolutionary Guards, which Washington has branded a terrorist organisation.

Last month, officials from Iran’s football federation abandoned a trip to the FIFA congress in Canada, saying they had been “insulted” by Canadian immigration officers.

One of their delegation, Mehdi Taj, is a former member of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada has also designated a terror group.

The Iranian football team hope to play two friendlies in Antalya.

They have already confirmed one match, against The Gambia, on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team.

“No visas have been issued yet,” Taj, the head of Iran’s football federation, told Iranian media on Thursday.

On Saturday, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom held a meeting in Turkey with the federation, describing it as constructive, as did Taj.

When the squad reaches the United States, Iran will set up their base camp in Tucson, Arizona.

The team, who are in Group G, are due to kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle.

AFP

International News

Man U In Three Players Swap Deal As Club Forfeits Financial Boost

Published

3 weeks ago

April 30, 2026

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AC Milan will consider three Manchester United players as part of a swap deal for Rafael Leao, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The outlet claim that United have already made contact with agents over a potential deal for Leao this summer, but their first choice target is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

However, Leao could be an easier deal to do, with Milan now ready to listen to offers for the winger. The Italian side are reportedly asking for around €50 million (£43.3m) but their interest in three United players could possibly lead to a swap deal.

Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte and Marcus Rashford are all mentioned. All three players are expected to leave Old Trafford this summer.

Zirkzee has struggled to make an impact since his move from Bologna, while Rashford has spent the season on loan with Barcelona. The Spanish side have the option to make the move permanent for £26 million but they are looking less and less likely to trigger it.

United could therefore be looking for sale in the summer. Using him as part of a swap for Leao could be seen as a solution.

United have forfeited a financial boost from a friendly against RB Leipzig. Sky Germany report that as part of the agreement between the two sides over striker Benjamin Sesko, a friendly match must be played.

But instead of United financially benefitting from the game, Leipzig will instead receive all of the revenue. It’s reported that the game must be played within the ‘next few years’.

United completed a deal for Sesko last summer, paying a fee of around £66.3million. However, Sky Germany report that it is now set to rise to £74 million with add-ons.

It’s claimed that there will be around £3.5 million in bonuses for things such as appearances, goals and Champions League qualification.

In his first season with the club, Sesko has scored 11 times, in 31 appearances in all competitions. He scored what turned out to be the winning goal in Monday night’s win over Brentford.

Sport

Barca Pissed As Yamal Caught In All Night Romp With Strange Model

Published

7 months ago

October 31, 2025

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Recently, Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal has once again found himself embroiled in off-field controversy. Just days after the defeat in the Clásico, on Monday local time last week, he was photographed travelling to Milan with several friends.

According to renowned paparazzo Jordi Martín, Yamal attended a party with a prominent Italian model during his trip and spent the night with her – a woman who is not his current girlfriend. Rumours suggest Yamal had previously shared an ambiguous relationship with this model before he began dating his current partner.

During his stay in Milan, Yamal attended a party with a prominent model who was not his current girlfriend Nicki Nicole. It is understood that this model, Anna Gegnoso, is Italian and rumoured to have had a prior romantic connection with Yamal before his relationship with Nicki Nicole began.

According to the photographer, Yamal first attended the party with Anna that evening before the pair spent the night together at Milan’s Armani Hotel – an incident that would undoubtedly displease Nicki Nicole should it prove true. Furthermore, Yamal and his accompanying friends deliberately obstructed media personnel from capturing photographs and footage at the scene.

Jordi Martin further disclosed that this behaviour has provoked considerable displeasure among Barcelona’s club hierarchy. They have grown weary of Yamal’s lifestyle. Several weeks prior, whilst injured, he flew to Croatia for a holiday with Nicki Nicole, publicly sharing photos of their trip on social media – an act that already drew criticism.

This latest incident – reportedly flying to Milan for revelry within hours of the Clásico defeat – has only exacerbated the situation. Particularly given his lacklustre performance against Real Madrid, he now finds himself dominating headlines for off-field reasons.

These successive off-field incidents, coupled with his earlier controversial remarks about Real Madrid at an event, have increasingly raised concerns within Barcelona’s ranks. Club officials fear he is becoming increasingly overwhelmed by this “noise,” drifting away from his core focus on football