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Failures threaten Jorge Vilda's tenure with Morocco's "Lionesses"
🇲🇦 Morocco /Sports

Failures threaten Jorge Vilda's tenure with Morocco's "Lionesses"

From Hespress · () Arabic

Translated from Arabic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Moroccan women's national football team coach Jorge Vilda faces scrutiny after a series of failures, including missing the Paris Olympics and losing the Women's Africa Cup of Nations final.
  • Despite qualifying for the World Cup, Vilda's tenure has been marked by disappointment in crucial matches, raising questions about his ability to translate team development into titles.
  • The team narrowly lost the WAFCON final after leading 2-0 and was eliminated in the semifinals of the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers, casting doubt on his future with the "Atlas Lionesses."

Jorge Vilda's tenure as the coach of the Moroccan women's national football team is under increasing pressure following a string of critical failures. Hired for his historic success with Spain's 2023 World Cup-winning squad, Vilda was expected to lead the "Atlas Lionesses" to their first continental title. However, despite significant investment from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and a talented generation of players, his leadership has been marred by crucial defeats.

The most significant blow came with the failure to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Morocco was just two matches away from securing a spot but lost the second leg of their qualifier against Zambia 2-0 at home after winning the first leg 2-1. This painful elimination, especially on home soil, highlighted struggles in handling decisive matches.

Another major disappointment was the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations final, hosted in Morocco. The team held a commanding 2-0 lead against Nigeria, appearing poised for a historic continental crown. However, Nigeria staged a remarkable comeback in the second half, scoring three goals to win 3-2. This loss, following a second-place finish in the 2022 edition (under a different coach), marked a second consecutive final defeat and a significant missed opportunity.

More recently, Morocco was eliminated in the semifinals of the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers by Cameroon. After a 0-0 draw following 120 minutes of play and a missed penalty in the final moments, the team lost the subsequent penalty shootout 3-1. This latest setback on home soil dashed hopes of reaching a third consecutive continental final and winning the title in front of their fans.

While Vilda has achieved a notable success by guiding the team to their second-ever World Cup appearance in Brazil, the recurring failures in continental competitions raise serious questions for the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. The contrast between World Cup qualification and repeated near-misses in major tournaments leaves Vilda's future uncertain.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hespress in Arabic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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