Jonatan Giráldez leaves as head coach of the Washington Spirit to take OL Lyonnes job
- Mario Amaya
- Jun 2
- 3 min read
The Washington Spirit has announced the departure of head coach Jonatan Giráldez after a year in charge. The club announced via an official statement on Monday.
“I can’t thank Jona enough about the lasting impact he has had on the club,” Spirit owner Michelle Kang said. “He has shown us what the highest level of performance looks like and how to achieve once aspirational goals. The foundation he built will continue to propel the club to compete at the highest level. On a personal note, all of us at the Washington Spirit congratulate Jona and Olaia on the expected arrival of their second child in June.”
Giráldez will leave the Spirit to become the new head coach of OL Lyonnes, formerly known as Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, which is currently owned by Kang and her ownership group Kynisca Sports International, which also owns English side London City Lionesses.
Spirit promotes González as head coach.
The Spirit announced that Assistant Coach Adrián González has been promoted to head coach. This move will become effective on July 18th, according to the Spirit in their statement.
“Adrián has proven that he is ready for this role,” said Kang. “He knows the team and has earned this organization’s trust through his hard work and dedication. I am looking forward to watching what this team can achieve this season and beyond under his leadership.”
González is no stranger to being a head coach, having coaching experience in his native Spain, most notably with RCD Espanyol Femení, as well as having coached in Greece and Japan.
González had served as the Spirit’s interim head coach for the start of the 2024 season, having a record of 10-4-1 under his stewardship.
“I am excited and honored to become the Head Coach of the Spirit,” said González. “Our focus remains on continuing to deliver performances that make our fans proud. I want to thank Jona for his leadership and friendship over the years, and I look forward to continuing to build upon the foundation we have established together.”
González will be the sixth coach the Spirit have had since Kang took over as majority owner in 2022.
Giráldez's stint with the Spirit
Giráldez was hired last January after spending five years with FC Barcelona Femení both as an assistant coach and head coach, where he achieved great success in his time with the club which included winning three Liga F titles, two Copa de la Reina titles, Four Spanish Supercup titles and two UEFA Women’s Champions League titles during his time at the club.
The 33-year-old coach joined the Spirit in June after the end of Barcelona’s season. The team would have a late-season surge into the playoffs that would lead them to the NWSL Championship last November in Kansas City, where they would fall to Orlando Pride by a scoreline of 1-0.
The Spirit has started their 2025 season on high note winning the Challenge Cup back in March winning the second title in the club’s history and currently has the team sitting in fourth place in the NWSL standings with 19 points with a 6-3-1 record, despite missing several players due to injury including star forward Trinity Rodman.
“It has been a privilege to lead this incredible group of players, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Spirit family,” said Giráldez. “I am especially proud to see Adrián step into this role. He’s not only a highly skilled coach but also someone who truly embodies the Spirit’s vision and values. I have full confidence he will thrive and continue driving the team forward.”
News about Giráldez's possible departure came through last week after radio outlets in Spain reported on his contract negotiations with Lyonnes. On Thursday, ESPN became the first outlet in the United States to confirm his departure from the club and take over the coaching position left vacant after Lyonnes let go of manager Joe Montemurro over the weekend. These reports were later confirmed by both the Washington Post and The Athletic.
Giráldez will coach two more games as Spirit manager before leaving for France at the end of the month.
His final home game as Spirit head coach will be Sunday afternoon against the North Carolina Courage. His final game as coach of the Spirit will be on the road against the San Diego Wave on June 22nd.
