In Rabat, Morocco’s women’s national team is changing direction just as its path to next summer’s World Cup in Brazil comes into view. Jorge Vilda has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Atlas Lionesses, with French coach Eric Blahic taking temporary charge for October’s friendly programme.
Key takeaways
- Vilda leaves Morocco three years after taking the post in October 2023.
- Eric Blahic will lead the squad for friendlies against Uzbekistan on 6 and 12 October.
- Morocco finished fourth at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in July.
- The July tournament still secured Morocco’s qualification for the World Cup in Brazil next summer.
- The Atlas Lionesses had been runners-up in each of the previous two African championships.
A change before the October camp
The Moroccan Football Federation confirmed Vilda’s dismissal while announcing the next national-team gathering. Blahic has been appointed to oversee the immediate two-match assignment against Uzbekistan, on 6 October and again six days later.
The departure ends Vilda’s spell with Morocco, which began in October 2023, shortly after his own exit from Spain’s women’s set-up. He had served as Spain coach and technical director until Pedro Rocha, then president of the RFEF’s management commission, removed him following Luis Rubiales’ resignation and disqualification from the federation presidency.
World Cup place remains intact
Vilda arrived in North Africa soon after delivering the greatest result in Spain’s women’s football history: the country’s first World Cup title, won in Australia and New Zealand in the summer of 2023.
Morocco’s recent continental campaign ended with a fourth-place finish at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in July. The hosts were beaten by Cameroon in the semi-finals, but their tournament performance was enough to send them to Brazil for next summer’s World Cup.
That outcome came after two successive second-place finishes for Morocco at the African championship, leaving the federation to prepare for a global tournament with a new voice on the touchline.
