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Women’s National Team

Jorge Vilda: "It has been the toughest list to decide"

The national team coach admits that the World Cup squad was finalized just a few hours before the announcement, taking into account "all the scenarios we may encounter" in Australia and New Zealand.
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Fri, 30/06/2023 - 16:24

National team coach Jorge Vilda addressed the media at the José Villalonga auditorium in Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas after announcing the list of 23 players who will represent Spain in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Vilda stated that it has been "the toughest list to decide" in his career: "The competition was fierce, the decisions were based on small details, and there is nothing negative we can say about the players who didn't make it, quite the opposite."

The evaluation to form the final list came after considering everything seen during this training camp and after the match in Avilés yesterday. The final choices were made just this morning, as detailed by Jorge Vilda. "The coaching staff had very little sleep last night, in my case practically none; we assessed all the scenarios that we might encounter in the World Cup and made a decision," he explained, before urging everyone to appreciate "the level that the chosen 23 players have," beyond thinking about those who didn't make the squad.

Different game plans

In that regard, Vilda emphasized that "with this list, we have different options": "We have an initial plan, the recognizable Spain, which wants to press high, and score many goals... everyone knows Spain's style of play, and that won't change. And within that plan, with the characteristics of the different players, we can enrich it and vary it," explained the coach.

Regarding captaincy, Jorge Vilda emphasized that "there are captains and players who demonstrate leadership," and he highlighted the "climate of camaraderie and harmony" that he's observing within the team during the training camp. "The most important thing for a team is to be united and believe in what is conveyed by the coaching staff, and that's the feeling we have. In this group, we have 23 players who will push forward and are both present and future."

He commented, before also stating that "we should all move in the same direction," referring not only to the players and coaching staff but also to the staff and even the press, as a way to achieve something significant in the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. After a match in Avilés, where his players defeated Panama 7-0, Vilda had stated that the team "will arrive prepared and mentally convinced that something big can be achieved." He reiterated this idea in the press conference, in response to journalists' questions, before expressing his maximum ambition for the World Cup.

Regarding the most formidable opponents in this World Championship, Vilda highlighted the potential of Australia, the United States, England, Sweden, and France, among others, stating that, in his opinion, "this could be France's World Cup."

Mundial Femenino 2023