The Netherlands face a resurgent Spain on Friday in a World Cup soccer match in New Zealand

On Thursday to Friday night, the Netherlands and Spain will play in the quarter-finals of the World Cup soccer tournament in New Zealand. It is a minor miracle that Spain has progressed this far.

If there was ever an election for the most stubborn person on earth, George Vilda has a serious chance of winning. How many coaches stay when about twenty players rebel? The national coach of the Spanish footballers did it and can now continue to hope that the team will win the world title.

To achieve this, they must first beat the Netherlands on Friday. It seems an impossible task for a team with so much internal tension, but Spain and Wilda have already shown they have plenty of resilience at this World Cup. After a huge 4-0 defeat against Japan – in the eighth finals they beat Switzerland 5-1.

A great comeback, especially since a few months ago some of the players didn’t even exchange a word with each other. When the selection for the World Cup was announced, more than half of the crowd applauded when they heard Vilda’s name.

The protests came to light when fifteen international players issued a statement in September. In it, they have expressed their displeasure with the way things are going on in the national team. This can have a negative impact on their ’emotional state’ and their ‘health’.

Vilda (42) was not mentioned overtly by name, but she felt addressed. He has been the coach of the national team since 2015 and was previously in charge of the national youth teams. “We are ashamed of the world,” he replied angrily. He was troubled by the ambiguity of the report, which led to speculation about his management style.

Anonymous sources

Of the fifteen Rebels, six played for Barcelona. Later injured Alexia Butellas, the world’s best soccer player, did not sign the statement but supported the message. He also plays for a Catalan club that has a subscription to the Spanish Championship and has won the Champions League twice.

So Barcelona’s lead in women’s football seems to be a cause for discontent. It has been leaked by anonymous sources that some players thought training time with the national team was a waste and did not think much of Wilda’s tactical preparation. For example, at last year’s European Championship he would not have shown any footage of the opposition before the quarter-finals. Spain lost 2–1 to England after extra time.

The eliminations were no exception, as Spain had never won a knockout match at a major tournament. Yet the national coach refuses to resign without a polished CV. And he received the support of the Spanish federation: “The national team is negotiable.” It did not play to his disadvantage that his father Angel Vilda, Johan Cruyff’s former Barcelona coach, was an influential figure within the association.

Vilda casually invited other players, and it was no coincidence that he ended up at Real Madrid. Entered women’s football later than top rival Barcelona, ​​but is trying to catch up. And interestingly, among the rebels there is not a single player from the club from the capital. The clash caused tension between the players and the atmosphere was tense during the Clasico between the two leading clubs.

But in the meantime, something special happened to the national team. With all the newcomers and no rebels, Spain continued to win, even defeating the world champions USA for the first time. Vilda and the union now had less reason to stir, but discussions took place behind the scenes.

The coach knows that Barcelona will need the experience and class of players to go far in the World Cup. And as the tournament begins, not all key players are equally committed. Butellas returned from injury and another of Barcelona’s big stars, Aidana Bonmati, also made herself available again.

Consider the vengeful feelings

“We know what we’re here for,” Ona Battle, another convert, told a sports newspaper ahead of the World Cup.Athletic. “You don’t have to be best friends with your teammates to work together on the field.”

That formula seemed to work in the first World Cup matches with easy wins against Costa Rica and Zambia, but the team completely collapsed against Japan. The loss of Barcelona defender Mabi Lyon, who did not return, was stark. Just as he lacked team spirit, he bore defeat calmly.

Vilda knew she had to intervene. He changed the team significantly, benched Butellas and counted on Bonmati’s vindictiveness and leadership skills against Switzerland. After the eighth final, she scored twice, and she looked back at the blow Japan dealt. “Sometimes you need days like this to realize that not everything is going to be smooth sailing.”

Her national coach never had to learn that lesson. He knows better than anyone how vulnerable his team is. A comeback after the ‘deep crack’ against Japan gives him a new reason not to give up. “Sometimes they are necessary for the evolution and development of the team.”