Jorge Vilda, the head coach of Spain's Women's World Cup-winning team, has been dismissed from his position amid the Luis Rubiales scandal that has engulfed Spanish football.Spain's Women's World Cup victory was marred by controversy when the president of the country's football federation, Luis Rubiales, was seen kissing forward Jenni Hermoso, a gesture she later stated was not consensual.

Following the incident, most of Vilda's coaching staff resigned, and 81 players refused to represent Spain in protest.

While Luis Rubiales has resisted calls for his resignation, he has been temporarily suspended by Fifa, the global governing body of football.

In a statement, Spanish federation the RFEF did not give a specific reason for Vilda's dismissal, saying he had been "a promoter of the values ​​of respect and sportsmanship in football".

Nevertheless, the RFEF has been contemplating the possibility of removing 42-year-old Vilda, who is seen as a close associate of Rubiales, since the previous week.

The RFEF described this action as "one of the initial renewal measures" announced by interim president Pedro Rocha, who has assumed the role during Rubiales' suspension by Fifa.

It's worth noting that Vilda had previously applauded Rubiales at the RFEF's extraordinary general assembly in August, during which Rubiales reiterated his refusal to step down and indicated his intention to extend Vilda's contract. However, Vilda has since criticized Rubiales' conduct.

"The RFEF appreciates [Vilda's] work at the head of the national team and in his functions as the head of sports for the women's teams, as well as the successes achieved during his time crowned with the recent achievement of the World Cup," said the RFEF.

"We value his impeccable personal and sporting conduct, being a key piece in the notable growth of women's football in Spain."

Vilda, who had been in charge of the national team since 2015, survived a player 'revolt' in September 2022, when the RFEF released a statement revealing 15 players had submitted identical emails saying they would not play for Vilda unless "significant" concerns over their "emotional state" and "health" were addressed.

'Las 15' - as the players became known - denied claims they had asked for Vilda, who has always maintained the support of Rubiales, to be sacked, but tension followed amid reports of concerns over training methods and inadequate game preparation.

Of those 15, just three ended their exile and were back in the squad as Spain beat England in the World Cup final in Sydney last month.

Vilda oversaw 108 matches as Spain coach, winning 75, and reached the European Championship quarter-finals in 2017 and 2022.

The World Cup winners are currently second in the Fifa women's world rankings.

The RFEF's statement added: "The RFEF would like to express its gratitude to Jorge Vilda for the services provided, for his professionalism and dedication during all these years, wishing him the best successes in the future.

"The RFEF is left with an extraordinary sporting legacy thanks to the implementation of a recognised game model and a methodology that has been an engine of growth for all the women's categories of the national team."

Earlier on Tuesday, Rocha apologised to the "whole of the football world" for the "totally unacceptable behaviour" of Rubiales.

Rocha said he plans to "give back the spotlight" to the women's team after their World Cup victory was overshadowed.

A lengthy statement said: "The Royal Spanish Football Federation, through its president, Mr. Pedro Rocha, considers it is essential to present the most sincere apologies to the football institutions, the players, especially the players of the Spanish National Football Team and the English National Football Team, stakeholders involved in football and the fans around the world for the totally unacceptable behaviour of its highest institutional representative during the final of the Fifa Women's World Cup 2023 and in the moments that followed.

"The damage caused to Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and the values ​​of football and sport as a whole have been enormous.

"The RFEF wants to transmit to the whole of society and to the whole of the football world its utmost regret for what happened that has tarnished our team, our football and our society.

"We must apologise most sincerely and make a firm and absolute commitment that events like these can never happen again."