Spanish FA (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has been urged to resign over incidents that took place after Spain’s Women’s World Cup win, ahead of an emergency meeting on Friday.
Rubiales has drawn widespread criticism for his actions after Spain beat England on Sunday, with the official kissing forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the presentation ceremony and grabbing his crotch in celebration shortly after the final whistle.
The president apologised for kissing Hermoso, which he said was “normal, natural and not at all with any bad faith”.
But the president of La Liga side Getafe, Angel Torres, has called for Rubiales to quit, telling Carrusel Deportivo: “He has to resign. The CSD (Spain’s High Council for Sports) has to open proceedings now. This man can’t stay for another minute. There is a 2030 World Cup that already has a damaged image.”
The CSD has already received complaints about Rubiales and the RFEF has convened an extraordinary meeting for Friday.
One RFEF source, speaking on condition of anonymity as they did not have permission to comment publicly, has told The Athletic that Rubiales, while regretful, has no intention of stepping down. The source claimed that the 46-year-old is understood to feel confident in his position despite the backlash and that RFEF officials are set to reiterate their backing for him on Friday.
La Liga clubs are set to be represented at the meeting. Real Madrid preferred not to comment on the situation publicly, but club sources told The Athletic their position will be made clear at Friday’s RFEF meeting. Barcelona have noted Rubiales’ apology and expect to hear further explanations at the meeting.
GO DEEPER
Controversy and condemnation after World Cup kiss – Luis Rubiales is no stranger to either
Rubiales has publicly dismissed criticism of his actions.
“We do not pay any attention to idiots and stupid people,” he said on Spanish radio station Cope. “It was a peck between two friends celebrating something.“(The criticism) is really all just nonsense, (from) dickheads and dumbasses. These are just losers who did not know how to see the positive side.”
“Yeah (it happened), but I didn’t like it,” Hermoso said while watching a video of the incident with her team-mates in an Instagram live broadcast in the dressing room after Spain’s 1-0 win over England.
The RFEF later released a statement to Spanish news agency EFE, which quoted Hermoso as saying she had no problem with what was “a mutual gesture that was totally spontaneous due to the immense joy of winning a World Cup”.
As well as Torres’ call, Rubiales has been criticised in Spain by acting prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, and culture and sport minister, Miquel Iceta.
The Spanish players’ union has also called for action against Rubiales, while a key group representing fans of Spanish clubs has demanded his resignation. Fourth-tier Barcelona-based side UE Sant Andreu were the first club to demand Rubiales resign.
USWNT forward Megan Rapinoe, meanwhile, described the Hermoso incident as reflecting a “deep level of misogyny and sexism”.
What could happen at the RFEF meeting?
Analysis by Spanish football expert Dermot Corrigan
Under RFEF statutes, a motion of censure can be taken against its president.
Such motions require the support of at least one-third of the 140 members of the federation’s general assembly, which has representation from the regional federations, professional clubs, professional players, coaches, youth football and referees. That would call a meeting of all 140, where a majority vote would lead to the president being deposed.
However, RFEF regulations also say that such motions cannot be taken during the final 18 months of a presidency, meaning that Rubiales cannot be challenged in this way given that his term of office ends in summer 2024.
(Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)