Can Spain reunite after mutiny and win their first ever Women’s World Cup?

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is fast approaching and the US Women’s team are the betting favourites to win again. This will be Vlatko Andonovski’s first World Cup in charge of the US team, and the pressure will be on him to deliver.

England is regarded as the main rival to the US. Sarina Wiegman’s team is the current champion of Europe, and England is a nation on an upward curve. But Andonovski would be wise not to just believe England is the team to beat, as lurking beneath the radar is Spain, and they could well be dark horses to win their first-ever Women’s World Cup.

Betting to win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

England and Spain are the second and third favourites to win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The English are 4/1, and the Spanish are 5/1. The Women’s World Cup 2023 favourites are still the USWNT. But this year their odds are 5/2. Usually, the US team are far stronger favourites.

The odds are suggesting the competition is an open one between the USWNT, England, Spain and Germany. But someone has to be the favourite, and it’s the US Women.

Can Spain overcome recent turmoil to win the 2023 World Cup?

A Name to Know:

Spain’s Women’s National Team Coach Jorge Vilda pic.twitter.com/4kDrgCOpwo

— total Barça (@totalBarca) June 24, 2022

Jorge Vilda has been the Spain women’s national football team manager since 2015. But in the aftermath of the team’s exit from the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 competition, Vilda found himself under fire from a group of players in the national squad.

In fairness to Vilda and the Spanish side, they only lost 2-1 after extra time to the eventual winners England. But Spain was only six minutes away from knocking England out in the quarter-final match, and they also were the better side during the match.

The disappointment of Spain’s exit may have led to unrest from the group of 15 players (also known as Las 15), who cited issues they had within the dressing room, and suggested a fresh start might be better for the national team.

The Spanish FA backed Vilda, and Las 15 was banished from the squad.

Jorge Vilda axes 15 players after Spain mutiny and refuses to step down. By @sidlowe https://t.co/3FUses6ovx

— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) September 30, 2022

Compromise reached

A compromise has now been reached, and three of the 15 exiled players have been selected for the World Cup squad. But questions have to be asked about squad harmony.

During the dispute, it started to become a spat between players from Real Madrid and Barcelona. None of the Madrid players got involved, while many of Barca’s Spanish stars denounced the national team. So the relationship between the returning players and the ones who remained loyal to Vilda could determine how Spain gets on in the competition.

Hero or Villain?

Depending on how the World Cup goes for Spain could determine the career and reputation of Jorge Vilda. It’s hard to see how Vilda could survive another fallout like the one after last year’s Euros.

But if he can reunite his squad and get them playing to their full potential, they may well return home with the trophy. If Jorge Vilda can manage that, he will go down as a legend of Spanish football.