SYDNEY — Spain head coach Jorge Vilda said he has a “united” squad after refusing to answer questions about rumoured splits in the team camp ahead of Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final against England in a tetchy pre-match news conference.
Vilda, who has been in charge of Spain since 2015, has guided the team to its first World Cup final despite 15 of his players writing to the Spanish Federation (RFEF) last October to demand changes behind the scenes after citing concerns about the 42-year-old’s management style.
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Of those 15 players — known as Las 15 — only three were selected in Vilda’s World Cup squad and Spanish media has reported that there are splits within the squad which date back to the so-called mutiny, following which Vilda was given the public backing of RFEF president Luis Rubiales.
When asked directly about the alleged ongoing rift, Vilda said: “Next question” and was similarly dismissive when receiving a further question about Spain being without many of the world’s players, but “not because of injury like England.”
Vilda was keen to stress, however, that he has had a tight-knit squad during the month-long stay in New Zealand and Australia.
“From the very beginning, the players have been united and working a lot,” Vilda said. “Today will be the 65th training session and all have come out very well — the training, games, everything inside the squad has been extraordinary. They have had fun, we’ve been together.
“Mentally, the players are super-concentrated on football and what we want to do tomorrow is be the best in the world and we’ll do this by winning the final.”
