Jorge Vilda (Morocco): "It’s a privilege to have the pressure”
- World champion with Spain in 2023, Jorge Vilda is now aiming for continental title with Morocco
- The coach of the Atlas Lionesses is building a solid squad ahead of a home TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON
- High standards, player-management and measured ambition: the Vilda method to mark the history of Moroccan women's football
He never talks about dreams. Only commitment, method and conquest. In Jorge Vilda, Morocco has found a coach with an unrivalled record, world champion with Spain in 2023, but above all a builder.
Since last November, the former coach of the women's Roja has been in charge of the Atlas Lionesses with the same obsession: to boost the fortunes of a Moroccan football team that is on the rise, a silver medallist on the continent stage in 2022 and eighth finalist of the last World Cup.
With just a few weeks to go before the start of the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Morocco 2024, Vilda is aware of the magnitude of the challenge.
He does not shy away. Realistic about the challenge in Group A – Zambia, DR Congo, Senegal – the Spaniard knows that the expectation is immense. But he prefers to talk about privilege.
"It's not a negative pressure. It's a huge desire to do well,” he said.
The 43-year-old technician was quickly taken with the Moroccan project. "I felt a real desire to develop women's football. I was given the means, I was able to build my staff, and the reception was exceptional.”
Since then, he has patiently woven a close-knit, cosmopolitan collective, made up of players from different leagues.
"They are the ones who facilitate everything. They are totally committed to the jersey,” he says of his players.
Vilda claims a player-management style based on connection, respect, and high standards. A family that he hopes will be supported by Moroccan fans at the July 5-26 tournament.
"What I can guarantee is that our players will fight for every ball," he says.
The promise is clear: no empty dreams, but concrete, sweat, ambition, and a TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON to conquer, finally.
CAFOnline.com: Even before the kick-off of the tournament, what is your view not only on the competition itself, but also on African women's football in general?
Jorge Vilda: African football has immense potential. We have been working here in Morocco for almost two years and we have been playing against African teams. We are seeing real progress.
Everything is more and more balanced. The teams are preparing better, the national competitions are improving, the teams have better technical staff who help them to progress. We see more organized teams and, above all, with enormous physical potential.
There are also many players playing in the best leagues in the world, which clearly makes the difference, both for club and country.
Before taking charge of the Moroccan national team, you were coach of Spain, world champions. How does this experience influence your work with Morocco today?
Winning a FIFA Women’s World Cup is the result of the work of many people over many years. Personally, I spent 17 years in the Spanish national teams. I started in the youth categories, first as a physical trainer, then as an assistant coach, before managing the U17s for several years, then the U19s, and finally the senior team that I coached for eight years.
Throughout this journey, a lot of things have been done well. My goal as a coach has always been to help players and teams progress. We have also received a lot of support from clubs, regional federations and, of course, the Spanish federation, which has provided us with the means and tools to grow women's football.
I am very proud that, in that same season, we won the U17, U20 and senior World Cup. All this experience is useful to me today.
Here, we are in a different reality, but I think that in almost two years, we have contributed to the progress of the selection and Moroccan women's football. We are very keen to see this translated into results, even if we know that it takes time to achieve this.
You took over the reins of the Moroccan national team in November 2023. What convinced you to join this project?
Well, first of all, it was the conversation with the president (Fouzi Lekjaa) that quickly convinced me, because I perceived a strong, determined and courageous commitment to women's football in Morocco, with a real desire for growth. We immediately got along very well.
Then I was shown around the facilities, which I think are some of the best in the world. These are those of the Moroccan Federation. There is also the entire work team of the Federation that deals with women's football.
Finally, I met the players and I really liked what they gave me. It took me very little time to decide, I saw that it was a conducive environment to develop our work. I was also allowed to build my own staff, which is not always possible elsewhere. Everything was made easy, and I quickly said yes.
Morocco is your first experience abroad. Can you tell us how you experienced this transition? What are your highlights since your arrival?
I especially remember the first games we played. Just after I signed, I think that after three days, we already had a training camp, practically without knowing the players.
We played two qualifying matches for the Olympic Games, which we won.
What struck me the most was the way football is celebrated here, the passion of the fans, the players.
When we returned to the residence after winning these two games, all the employees welcomed us with flower petals, music ... It was a scene I had never experienced before.
Afterwards, I tried to help with the lower age-groups thanks to my experience. And now, Morocco will host the next five U-17 Women's World Cups.
I think it shows how committed the country and the federation are to women's football.
Internship after internship, we work on a daily basis, here in Morocco, which I find to be a wonderful country that I recommend discovering. The people there are very hospitable, we have forged very good links. For now, I'm very happy.
The Atlas Lionesses are one of the most cosmopolitan teams on the continent, with players from several leagues. How do you manage to create a real cohesion despite this cultural diversity and these varied backgrounds?
In the end, the players are the ones who make things easy, because they arrive with a total commitment and commitment to the jersey, the coat of arms, the country. They come very motivated.
Then, on our side, we also try to promote the cohesion of the group through common activities, outside of football.
From the beginning, it was a goal for us to create this group. And I'm proud of what we've built, because it's a very good human group. Players who give everything in every training session, who behave with respect, not only towards each other, but also towards the referees and the staff.
We also have a great staff: the medical service, the stewards, the team manager, the media people ... we are a real family.
For the language, we adapt as best we can to understand each other, and in the end, everyone does. I learned a few words in Darija to coach on the field, a little French too. But above all, I have a very important person for me: my assistant Saad Guermane. He helps me get the messages across accurately, translating into French and Arabic.
There is a very beautiful harmony between everyone. And I would like it to last a long time.
Morocco plays in Group A, alongside Zambia, DR Congo and Senegal. What are your impressions of this group?
I think it's the toughest group, because it's very balanced. We know Zambia well, we faced each other in Olympic qualifying. It's a team that has progressed a lot in the last year, with very powerful, fast, physically strong players, who play in the best leagues.
They have a new coach (Nora Häuptle) who brings them more organisation. They are a very competitive team.
DR Congo is also a team made up of very strong players physically. We've played them before and we know how difficult they are.
And Senegal, who we faced in a friendly match, is a team that can pose real problems.
I believe that every victory in this group will be a real conquest. Winning a match in the finals is already a conquest. And that's our goal: to conquer game after game.
Having finished runners-up in 2022, and as host of this TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON, do you feel any particular pressure?
More than pressure, it's above all a great desire to do well. Of course, we put a certain amount of pressure on ourselves on a daily basis to work well. But it's not a negative pressure: it's a privilege to have that pressure, because it means we have a good team, and we know we can achieve great things. That's what we're fighting for.
As for external pressure – from the public, from the press – we feel it less, because in the end, those who put the most pressure on us are ourselves.
What message would you like to send to Moroccan fans?
We are not going to disappoint them. We want them to come and support us in the stadiums, to follow us on television as well.
What I can guarantee 100% is that our players will give everything, fight for every ball, not just to win games, but for every action. That's the identity of this Moroccan team, and I can assure you that you'll see that. We want Moroccans to be proud of their team, that's why we work every day.