WAFCON 2024: Morocco appoints Spain’s World Cup-winning coach, Vilda to lead Atlas Lionesses

By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No.1 Women Football Journalist

Determined to win  the 2024 CAF Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on home soil, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), has hired former Spain’s FIFA Women’s World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda Rodríguez to lead Morocco’s senior women national team.

Vilda who was fired as part of the changes at the Spanish football  federation following the crisis prompted by former president, Luis Rubiales kissing a player on the lips during the 2023 FIFA Women’s  World Cup Awards Ceremony last  August, has been given the charge to lead Morocco to win laurels in the nearest future including next year’s WAFCON and qualifying for Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Vilda was fired as part of the changes at the Spanish federation following the crisis prompted by former president Luis Rubiales kissing a player on the lips during the World Cup awards’ ceremony in August.

Vilda who was unveiled by Moroccan football president, Fouzi Lekjaa in Rabat on Thursday evening led Spain to its first Women’s World Cup title even though 15 players rebelled against him last year, demanding more professional methods by the coach.

But he stayed on the job with the support of president Rubiales who had implicit confidence in the  UEFA Pro Licence holder who was also Sporting Director of the Spanish FA’s (RFEF) women’s national-team system and Tactical Instructor at their National Coaching School for much of the same period.

Vilda replaced Frenchman Reynald Pedros who led Morocco to their first FIFA Women’s World Cup final this year in Australia and New Zealand; they became the first Arab country to qualify for the last 16 as well as qualifying for the Women’s World Cup final after Morocco finished second in the 2022 WAFCON hosted by the North African nation.

But the bubble burst after the Atlas Lionesses suffered two friendly losses against Copper Queens of Zambia on home soil and the impatient Moroccan football authorities decided to part ways with  Pedros as he was dismissed and has now been replaced by Jorge Vilda.

“The book closes and I am very disappointed not to continue my mission with the Moroccan national A team. But, so proud to have put this team on top of the world,” Pedros posted on social media platform X.