The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced at the end of October that Rosa Lappi-Seppälä will no longer continue as head coach of the women’s national team. Lluis Cortes was named as his replacement on Monday.
Finn Rosa Lappi-Seppälä has quietly stepped aside as head coach of the Saudi Arabian women’s national football team. Saudi Arabian Football Federation told about the new head coach on Monday. Former Barcelona coach Lluís Cortés becomes the head coach of Saudi Arabia.
Cortes led Barcelona to a triple champion in the 2020–2021 season. Barcelona won the Champions League, the Spanish Championship and the Spanish Cup.
After Barcelona, Cortes became head coach of Ukraine. The contract between Cortes and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation runs until 2027.
Lappi-Seppälä was chosen as the head coach of the Saudi Arabian women’s national football team in February. However, the Saudi Arabian Football Association announced at the end of Octoberthat Lappi-Seppälä will leave Pesti by mutual agreement.
In the press release of the Saudi Arabian Football Association, the Finnish coach was highly praised for how he helped the team develop with his experience.
– Rosa has been an important part of our national team’s recent development. He played an important role in our coaching team even before being appointed head coach when we won the first national team tournament organized in Saudi Arabia, the boss of the Saudi women’s football department Aalia Abdulaziz AlRasheed praised.
– Since then, he has been a source of inspiration for all our players. He has shown great leadership in our home and away games. Rosa will always be part of the history of women’s football in Saudi Arabia. We wish him all the best in the future.
In January’s tournament, Saudi Arabia beat Mauritius and Comoros and drew with Pakistan. After that, Saudi Arabia played twice against Palestine under the leadership of Lappi-Seppälä in May.
In June, the Saudi Arabian women’s national team faced a European national team for the first time in its history. However, Andorra was better both times. The games ended 3–0 and 3–1 for Andorra.
In the national team tournament played in Saudi Arabia in September, the team beat Pakistan, lost to Bhutan and drew against Malaysia. However, there was a loss to Malaysia in the semifinals of the tournament.
Lappi-Seppälä had signed a contract with the Saudi Arabian Football Association until the end of the year.
There has been a lot of talk about blatant human rights violations in connection with Saudi Arabia. When the selection of Lappi-Seppälä as the head coach of the Saudi Arabian women’s national football team became clear, it aroused a lot of criticism in Finland. Lappi-Seppälä was considered to have given himself up as a propaganda tool for a state that tramples on human rights.
– It’s good to be critical and point out grievances. But it is equally important to actively influence things from within, when there is an opportunity, Lappi-Seppälä stated in an interview with Urheilu in February.