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The Kissing Scandal After Spain’s Women’s World Cup Win

Before Luis Rubiales, the president of Spain’s soccer federation, grabbed the head of one of the stars of the Women’s World Cup, Jenni Hermoso, and kissed her lips during the trophy presentation; before he lifted another player, Athenea del Castillo, over his shoulder and paraded her, rear up, around the pitch; before he promised the players a trip to Ibiza and joked about marrying Hermoso; before he declared that he had done nothing offensive and, in fact, was the real victim; before the Spanish federation reportedly threatened to sue Hermoso for denying that the kiss was consensual—before all that, he stood in the stands at Stadium Australia, in Sydney, and pumped his crotch.

The gesture, he later admitted, was rather embarrassing: after all, the Queen of Spain was standing a few feet away, along with her sixteen-year-old daughter. But he could explain! “In a moment of euphoria, I grabbed that part of my body,” Rubiales said, at an extraordinary general-assembly meeting of the RFEF , Spain’s federation. Rubiales looked at Jorge Vilda, the team’s coach, and addressed him directly. “We’ve been through a lot, Jorge, a lot, this past year.” They had been vilified. They had “suffered a lot.” As the final whistle sounded, Rubiales continued, Vilda had turned to the federation president up in the stands to “dedicate” the win to Rubiales. “I replied that, no, no, it was ‘You, you, you.’ And at that moment, I made you this sign, ‘ Ole, your balls.’ ” For the lewd gesture, he apologized not to the players but to the “royal household.”

And there it was, straight from the man’s own mouth, the truth behind all of it—behind the unwanted kiss, behind the antics, behind the months of conflict with national-team players, unresolved even as the country hoisted the World Cup trophy. The truth, too, behind the years of neglect, disregard, and disrespect for the women’s game. The women’s win belonged to him and Vilda, Rubiales said. It belonged to their balls.

Only the day before, the team’s former captain Irene Paredes spoke about the stakes of Spain’s appearance in the Women’s World Cup final. “Many of us have grown up thinking that playing football was not our place,” she said. She could have been referring to any number of things. When Paredes started playing for the national team, it was coached by a man who called players “ chavalitas ,” or little girls, and led the team for decades without success or consequence. The federation at that point devoted less than one per cent of its budget to the women’s program. Club teams were semi-professional, at best. She believed that this game—this World Cup —would change that for girls, for women. “If it serves to let those people know that this game, football, is also ours, that means history will be made, and that would make us very happy,” she said. “A change is taking place.”

Perhaps. Rubiales has been suspended by FIFA while disciplinary proceedings are under way. Eighty-one players eligible for the Spanish women’s team, including the entire world-championship roster, signed a letter declaring that they would not play for their country until the current leadership is out (so far, only one male player with a realistic chance of making the national selection has joined them). The RFEF vice-president resigned, as did eleven members of Vilda’s staff. Politicians have weighed in, condemning Rubiales. Newspapers across the political spectrum have found him at fault. The men’s national-team coach, Luis de la Fuente, who was seen giving Rubiales a standing ovation after his defiant speech, criticized Rubiales for the kiss. Even Vilda, recognizing the inevitable outcome—while refusing to resign himself—joined the pile-on.

And yet, none of Rubiales’s behavior was new. None of it was surprising. We knew it because we’ve been told it before. National-team players had already voiced their concern about Vilda’s patronizing, authoritarian style, reportedly checking their shopping bags and monitoring their whereabouts. The federation had revealed itself in its response to the players’ protest last year: it not only left Vilda in charge but had dismissed the players’ protest and ordered them to apologize. Several of the country’s best players were left off the squad, and it was not entirely clear whether their absences were out of merit, principle, or protest. More recently, it has emerged that in 2016, Tamara Ramos, then a staffer for the Spanish Players' Association, had accused Rubiales (who was president of the Association at the time) of commenting on her underwear and joking in front of others that “you’ve come here to put on your kneepads.” (In a statement, the RFEF strongly denied Ramos’s accusations against Rubiales.)

So what has changed? The money, for starters. Clubs realized that a minor investment in women’s soccer—a few percentage points of their men’s teams’ balance sheets—could have a strong return, that they could convert crowds of six thousand into ninety thousand. The players pushed their federation into providing better conditions by the players; not even a man like Rubiales could ignore the overwhelming wealth of talent that the domestic clubs now offered. And when young girls saw the brilliant, pleasing style with which players like Paredes, Alexia Putellas—a two-time winner of the women’s Ballon d’Or for world’s best player—and Hermoso competed, and the training and support increasingly offered by domestic academies, they saw a path, and so made one.

Attitudes are changing. You could see it in the course of the week—how standing ovations turned into critical statements, how Hermoso herself at first uncomfortably laughed the kiss off, before acknowledging that it was demeaning and disrespectful, at the very moment the women should have been celebrated for their triumph.

Their triumph. Rubiales is as good as gone, and Vilda probably is, too. But the danger is that they become mere scapegoats, that they let people congratulate themselves for fixing the problem, forget their own parts, and move on. After all, it was only two weeks ago that Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, claimed credit for a successful World Cup and told women to “pick the right battles” in the fight for equality. It would have been funny if it were not so dire—if so many participants in the World Cup were not trying to sound the alarm about sexual abuse, about wage theft and inequality , and other serious violations. Spain was hardly the only country to battle its own federation. The circumstances faced by other nations were arguably even more dismal. The Nigerian team, which made the Round of 16, reportedly considered boycotting its opening game in protest over outstanding payments the players say they are owed. Jamaica made it out of the group stage despite having to launch a GoFundMe campaign. Canada won the Tokyo Olympics gold medal despite years of financial neglect and a recent sexual-abuse scandal involving the now-convicted national U-20 team coach. Paredes is right; change is coming. But it won’t arrive until respect and rights are seen as more than the victor’s rewards. ♦

An earlier version of this article misstated Irene Paredes’s role on the team.

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An infamous Spanish kiss overshadowed meritorious women doing their job — can you believe it?

By Annabel Crabb

Topic: Women

Protesters gathered in Madrid to support Spanish player Jenni Hermoso. ( AP: Alicia Leon )

Whenever women move into male-dominated fields, whether it be politics, media, the resources sector – you name it – they are regularly reminded of the importance of making it on "merit".

Wherever quotas are proposed to introduce gender balance, the "M-word" will invariably arrive within seconds.

There's a double fiction at play here: First, that men have always gained their successes on merit, and second, that merit in women will be recognised and rewarded the same way as it is in genuinely talented men.

And if you need these concepts demonstrated, look no further than the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup; several weeks of sustained and glorious high performance by a fleet of underpaid women, from whom our rapt gaze was periodically distracted only by a series of less gifted dudes setting their own silly arses on fire.

Harsh, I know.

But the women of the World Cup displayed nothing but merit. Extraordinary feats of skill. Flawless sportsmanship. Good behaviour on and off the pitch. They generated millions of new eyeballs for the beautiful game. All for about a quarter of the pot available to the men in Qatar last year.

And yet, they were overshadowed again and again by second-rate blokes.

Donald Trump, a celebrated golf cheat, bellowing at Megan Rapinoe for the double offence of missing a penalty and being a lesbian.

Seven's David Basheer who burbled — as Matildas midfielder Katrina Gorry completed a deft tackle – "certainly motherhood has not blunted her competitive instincts, that's for sure".

(That was enough for your correspondent to turn to the Optus Sport broadcast, which offered up a talented and knowledgeable panel of female commentators more than capable of talking for 10 minutes about football without tripping over their own genitalia).

'Enjoy yourselves'

Then there was the heir to the British throne, avowed champion of the Commonwealth, Prince William. He is also the president of the Football Association, so is on record as having at least a glancing interest in the game.

Despite the fact that the World Cup semifinals not only featured the Lionesses (his home team) but also the Matildas (a team with which he enjoys certain as-yet-unrepealed constitutional associations), the future King made it known he wouldn't be attending. (British PM Rishi Sunak also was otherwise engaged, though no one seems seriously to suggest that – were the men's team to make a World Cup final – both PM and Prince wouldn't have boarded a jet faster than Boris Johnson boarding a jeroboam of Cristal.)

Palace sources hazily indicated that Prince William was concerned about carbon emissions.

Instead, he recorded a video message with his young daughter Charlotte, saying how sorry he was he couldn't attend the Lionesses' final, while encouraging them to "go out there tomorrow and really enjoy yourselves".

"Enjoy yourselves." Yes, because that's what the women's game is still viewed as in so many quarters – a lovely opportunity for the ladies to keep fit and enjoy themselves. The average Women's Super League player in the UK – according to a BBC calculation – gets paid about 47,000 pounds a year. In the Premier League, however, an average player will make more than that per week. PER WEEK.

Money tells the story

Let's digress for a moment to assess the media economics of this World Cup.

As my colleague John Lyons wrote last week , the television rights for this World Cup "tell their own story":

"According to The Australian Financial Review, Optus paid $13 million for access to all 64 World Cup matches. Optus sold the Matildas matches to Seven Media for an estimated $5 million. Seven and Optus have paid peanuts and received gold. "Contrast that with payments for AFL rights. Last year, the AFL did a new seven-year deal with Foxtel and Seven for $4.5 billion — or $643 million per year. Given there are 24 regular home-and-away rounds each year, this means the AFL was paid on average $26 million per weekend, or five times more than Seven paid for all Matildas games." "On any reading, this is absurd and unfair. But in 2023, it's still men who make these sorts of corporate and network decisions."

Yes, it is. And I wonder if any of these sports broadcast experts are taking any time at all to wonder how it is that they so wildly misread the audience for this event.

Presumably, they've been operating under the old orthodoxy that women's sport is boring, or worth less than the men's game.

Sam Kerr is Australia's top goal scorer, period. ( AAP Image: Darren England )

It's only last year, after all, that Sam Kerr surpassed Tim Cahill's goalscoring record for Australia and was told by another former Socceroo, Robbie Slater, that comparisons between the two greats was "disrespectful to Cahill."

"Don't get me wrong. Sam Kerr is a fantastic player and I'm delighted that she has now scored 54 times for Australia….yes, she has scored more goals for the Matildas than any other player in history," he wrote at the time.

"But Tim Cahill was a Socceroo, not a Matilda. His 50 goals for the Socceroos is a record that shouldn't be overshadowed by Kerr's achievements."

Comparisons between the Socceroos and the Matildas don't pan out that well for the men's team, which has qualified for the World Cup six times and come, in turn, 14th, 16th, 21st, 30th, 30th and 11th.

The Matildas have qualified eight times, and finished 12th, 11th, 13th, 6th, 8th, 7th, 9th and fourth.

'You have the power to change'

Moving back to our 2023 Women's World Cup field of disappointing blokes.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino (That is correct. In a powerful demonstration that nominative determinism lives on, the man's name basically translates to "Man Baby") chose the eve of the World Cup final to explain to female players that it was their responsibility to achieve equal treatment.

"And I say to all the women, and you know I have four daughters, so I have a few at home, I say to all the women that you have the power to change," he declared.

"Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights. You have the power to change. You have the power to convince us men what we have to do and what we don't have to do. You do it. Just do it. With men, with FIFA, you will find open doors. Just push the doors. They are open."

As Marina Hyde – the British press's most gifted bullshit detector, may she never retire – wryly replied:

"What can you say? Other than: Sorry, but I believe they're trying to play quite an important football match. Any chance YOU could get the door? After all, it is your actual job. "All in all, it's hard not to feel that England approach the biggest game of their lives in what some may judge to be a familiar position: getting let down by a selection of useless men.

Nevertheless, the women played on. And Spain won the final. Pretty sensational result for a squad of which a dozen members had stayed home on account of irreconcilable differences with coach Jorge Vilda, who was booed every time he made an appearance and from whom players visibly shrank even when celebrating.

Spain's Queen Letizia was in attendance, with her daughter the Infanta Sofia. King Felipe was not, owing to unidentified pressing duties elsewhere.

Is this the same King Felipe who dropped everything to attend the Spanish men's team's OPENING GAME in Qatar last year?

Why yes, it is.

And is Qatar the country where a female Mexican World Cup official was allegedly sexually assaulted  and beaten in her hotel room by a colleague last year, and when she reported the matter to Qatari police was threatened with a whipping and jail for engaging in extra-marital sex?

(Extra-marital sex is a crime in Qatar, as opposed to rape and domestic violence, which isn't. The World Cup official in question, Paola Schietekat, managed to escape the country but not before her lawyer advised her that the simplest way to avoid prosecution would be to marry her assailant)

Yes, that's the very same country. Totally normal and fine that the King of Spain couldn't get there fast enough to watch his boys in the minor rounds. And probably just an unfortunate coincidence that he was unavailable to travel to a democratic country (where women are allowed to own property, and travel without the consent of a male guardian) to watch the women's national team win the World Cup.

To be fair, history won't probably recall the King of Spain's snub.

Because another chap was waiting in the wings to make it all about him.

Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed Jenni Hermoso after their final win.  ( Reuters: Hannah Mckay )

The infamous kiss

Luis Rubiales, Spain's head of football, was captured in the stands nearby his Queen, reacting to the victory in real time. He punches the air, then with his right hand grabs his penis through his pants.

Such a cool and OK response to a big moment for your all-female team of world champions.

Imagine the female coach of a men's football team grabbing her ladyparts as the whistle blows! Obviously this is going to involve significant imaginative powers, given that no woman has ever been the head coach of a men's World Cup team, or a men's AFL team for that matter. Women coaching men's teams is, it seems, yet to be an OK idea. But men coaching women's teams? It's par for the course.

Of the 32 teams starting in the Women's World Cup this year, 20 were trained by head coaches who are, err, in an anatomical position to replicate the victory gesture of Luis Rubiales.

Later, at the presentation ceremony, of course, the world watched as Rubiales placed both hands on the back of midfielder Jenni Hermoso's head and pulled her in for a forcible kiss.

Women watching the broadcast recoiled. For several weeks, we'd watched powerful women be great at their jobs on TV.

And now we were watching this glorious sportswoman reduced to an object, a body to be grabbed and snogged against her will. By her boss. In front of a giant global audience.

It's not just the kiss

As is so often the case, it then became Hermoso's obligation to respond to a man's misjudgement.

First, she said on social media that she "didn't like it".

Then, under pressure, she issued a statement:

"There's no need to overanalyse a gesture of friendship and gratitude; we've won a World Cup, and we won't stray from what's important."

Over the weekend, however, she issued a new statement, condemning the attempts by the Spanish soccer federation to bully her into exonerating Rubiales.

"I do not have to support the person who has committed this action against my will, without respecting me, at a historic moment for me and for women's sports in this country," she wrote. "Under no circumstances can it be my responsibility to bear the consequences of conveying something I do not believe in, which is why I have refused the pressures received."

And this is the point. It's not just the kiss. This is what women everywhere who are subjected to workplace harassment find so exhausting. It's not just being kissed or touched or leered at or whatever. It's that you then have to deal with the truckloads of bullshit that come after.

If you don't report it, you feel guilty for not standing up for yourself, or for failing to protect other women. If you do, you run the risk of being slimed as a raging man-hater and troublemaker, which absolutely is happening to Hermoso, encouraged by the man who kissed her. (A defiant Rubiales has blamed his situation on "false feminism, one of the scourges of this country". Hmm. If so, it's one of the less-effective scourges on record)

Jenni Hermoso celebrating after the final. ( Reuters: Amanda Perobelli, file )

A moment of triumph marred

All this woman has done is be good at her job. All she has done is display merit. All she wants to do right now, presumably, is dance around with her colleagues and pour cava over her head, while basking in the love and pride of her country.

But no: Now her moment of triumph will forever be marred, not just by her boss disrespecting her in front of a global audience, but by that same boss's decision that his personal status is more important than the achievement of his team.

If merit is so important, then why won't the future King of England fly to a Commonwealth country to witness it? Why won't football writers acknowledge it? Why don't vast, wealthy football behemoths pay for it? Why don't male media executives think viewers will watch it?

How meritorious, exactly, do you have to be as a woman in order to render yourself invulnerable to the marauding incompetence of men who are paid better than you are?

Can you believe it? Can you believe that true merit counts for so little?

Well, if you're a woman working in a male-dominated field who's always worked hard and assumed that the system would be fair to you and then become conscious that you have male colleagues who ask for 10 times as much while being one-tenth as good… yeah. You'll believe it. It won't be a stretch at all.

Luis Rubiales: what to know about the World Cup kiss scandal

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FIFA World Cup 2023

Anger in spain after soccer chief kisses a player at women's world cup ceremony.

Laurel Wamsley

Royal Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales is being criticized for kissing Spanish player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth during the medal ceremony following Spain's victory in the final of the Women's World Cup on Sunday in Sydney. Noe Llamas/SPP/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect hide caption

Royal Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales is being criticized for kissing Spanish player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth during the medal ceremony following Spain's victory in the final of the Women's World Cup on Sunday in Sydney.

Spain just won its first ever Women's World Cup, and celebrated with a huge party in Madrid on Monday. But the joy of its victory has been tempered by what happened during the medal ceremony: the head of the Royal Spanish Football Federation planting a kiss on the lips of one of Spain's players.

Now, federation President Luis Rubiales is being roundly criticized, including by Spain's acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez.

"It was an unacceptable gesture and Mr. Rubiales' apologies are not enough; they are not even suitable. Therefore, he must continue taking steps to clarify what we saw," Sánchez said in a press conference on Tuesday, as reported by Spanish newspaper El País .

Spain outlasts England 1-0 to win its first Women's World Cup title

"We continue to ask for the resignation of the man who has harassed and assaulted a woman. His excuses are useless," said the government's acting Second Vice President Yolanda Díaz, according to the newspaper . "This person must resign."

The furor follows a moment seen live around the world. During the tournament's medal ceremony on Sunday in Sydney, the Spanish squad received their medals and proceeded through a receiving line that included Rubiales. As he greeted star forward Jennifer Hermoso , Rubiales hugged Hermoso tightly, then pulled her head toward his face and kissed her firmly on the lips. During the procession, Rubiales kissed several other players on the cheek and embraced them tightly, lifting them off the ground as he hugged them.

¿Lo de Rubiales? pic.twitter.com/H7ZaAQ0RxU — Darío (@Youpsico) August 20, 2023

In a livestream of the team celebrating in their locker room after the game, Hermoso says: "I didn't like it." As she is apparently shown a video or photo of the kiss, she says, "What do I do? Look at me, look at me."

Rubiales was also in the locker room, where he announced to the team that they will all be going to Ibiza and then said: "There we will celebrate the wedding of Jenni and Rubiales." Video later showed Rubiales making a crotch-grabbing gesture in the stands after the win, a few feet away from the queen of Spain.

On Monday, the federation released a video of Rubiales offering a supposed apology for his actions, which he describes as "very spontaneous" and "a moment of maximum effusiveness without any bad intention."

"I have to apologize, there is no other option, right?" Rubiales says in the video . "And, furthermore, learn from this and understand that when you are president of an institution as important as the federation, you have to be more careful, especially in ceremonies."

Rubiales had previously called those criticizing him "idiots."

Spanish news site Relevo reports that Rubiales had tried to convince Hermoso to appear with him in an apology video, but she refused to do so.

In a statement sent by the federation to Spanish news agency EFE, Hermoso played down Rubiales' kiss.

"It was a mutual gesture that was totally spontaneous prompted by the huge joy of winning a World Cup," her statement said, according to Reuters . "The 'presi' and I have a great relationship, his behavior with all of us has always been 10 (out of 10) and this was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude."

But Relevo reports that Hermoso did not actually write or say that statement.

Spain's Olga Carmona learned her father had died after she won the Women's World Cup

Spain's minister for culture and sport, Miquel Iceta, rebuked Rubiales on Monday.

"It seems unacceptable to me," Iceta told broadcaster RNE, as ESPN reported . "We're in a moment of equality, of rights and respect for women. We all have to be particularly careful in our attitudes and our actions. I think it's unacceptable to kiss a player on the lips to congratulate her."

The prime minister's public criticism of Rubiales followed a reception in which the footballers were congratulated.

"The players have done everything to win. But there have been some behaviors, such as those of Mr. Rubiales, which show that in our country there is still a long way to go in terms of equality and respect, and in the equalization of rights between women and men," Sánchez said.

Sánchez said it was not up to him whether Rubiales keeps his job since the Spanish soccer federation is not controlled by the government, The Associated Press reports , but the leader noted that Rubiales "has yet to be clear and compelling in his apologies."

A spokesperson for Spain's People's Party called Rubiales' attitude "embarrassing" and said "all institutional managers have a duty to be exemplary."

Spain bans harassment of women entering abortion clinics

A complaint has been filed with the National Sports Council against Rubiales by Miguel Galán, who leads a national facility that trains soccer coaches, The Guardian reports . The complaint reportedly calls for disciplinary procedures against Rubiales and calls the kiss a "sexist, intolerable act in sport," arguing it violates a Spanish law barring sexism in sports.

Spain's road to the World Cup had already been marred by players' complaints against their working conditions and their coach, Jorge Vilda. Fifteen of the regular players on the national team refused to play under Vilda ; three eventually returned to the team and were part of its victory.

U.S. star Megan Rapinoe, who has been outspoken on working conditions and pay in women's soccer, said Rubiales' actions made her "think about how much we are required to endure."

"Think how much that Spanish team had to shoulder: Some of the players who stood up way back last year still aren't on the team. Maybe that was something that galvanized them, but you shouldn't have to have that," she told The Atlantic .

The image of Rubiales grabbing his crotch "signals such a deep level of misogyny and sexism in that federation," Rapinoe said. "What kind of upside-down world are we in? On the biggest stage, where you should be celebrating, Jenni has to be physically assaulted by this guy."

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A Kiss After Spain’s World Cup Win Prompts Many to Cry Foul

A soccer federation chief kissed the Spanish forward Jennifer Hermoso fully on the lips during the medals ceremony, an unpleasant reminder to many of the sexism that has plagued women’s soccer.

By Constant Méheut

Reporting from Barcelona, Spain

Spaniards celebrated their country’s first Women’s World Cup victory on Sunday afternoon by holding dance parties in the streets and sharing their giddy delight.

But it was a kiss seen around the world that was the talk of social media.

Amid the national jubilation, many were jolted by an impromptu kiss planted on the Spanish forward Jennifer Hermoso by the president of Spain’s soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, during the medals ceremony, an unpleasant reminder to many of the sexism scandals that have plagued Spanish women’s soccer.

After the Spanish players defeated England 1-0 and lined up onstage in Sydney, Australia, to collect their medals before lifting the World Cup trophy, Mr. Rubiales enthusiastically grabbed Ms. Hermoso, kissed her on the cheeks and then kissed her fully on the lips, video of the encounter showed. Spain’s Queen Letizia was onstage at the time.

¿Lo de Rubiales? pic.twitter.com/H7ZaAQ0RxU — Darío (@Youpsico) August 20, 2023

Later, in another video, Ms. Hermoso is seen apparently making her distaste known, responding, “Hey, but I didn’t like that!”

The video of what many concluded had been an unwanted smooch was widely shared on social media, spurring confusion among many Spaniards and prompting others to denounce it as highly inappropriate behavior. Some called it disgraceful and evidence of lingering sexism in soccer. Others demanded that Mr. Rubiales resign.

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Video: Spain federation chief Rubiales kisses Jenni Hermoso during trophy presentation, criticised

Spain’s World Cup charge was tainted by controversy over both the federation and coach Jorge Vilda’s relationship with the players.

Published : Aug 21, 2023 00:36 IST - 1 MIN READ

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 20: Jennifer Hermoso of Spain shows emotion after the team's victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia on August 20, 2023 in Sydney / Gadigal, Australia. (Photo by Alex Pantling - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) | Photo Credit: Alex Pantling - FIFA

Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales was heavily criticised on social media on Sunday for kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during Spain’s Women’s World Cup celebrations in Sydney.

La Roja lifted the trophy after beating England 1-0 in Australia but victory was tarnished by the incident which occurred shortly after the game amid the medal ceremony.

J'espère que c'est sa meuf sinon c'est une dinguerie ça. pic.twitter.com/SlZxe8K8gK — Messiah Yaniss 🇨🇵🇩🇿 (@Zemal_GOAT16) August 20, 2023

“I didn’t like it,” said Spain midfielder Hermoso on an Instagram live stream, although she was laughing as she spoke.

“It’s a spontaneous celebration that happened like that, the two are good friends,” a Spanish federation spokesman told AFP .

ALSO READ: Explained: What is the controversy around Jorge Vilda and FIFA Women’s World Cup finalist, Spain?

Several top stars formed part of a 15-player protest against the national team ahead of the tournament, although many relented in their stance and three were included in the squad.

Rubiales was a firm backer of Vilda and the RFEF was criticised for their strong position against the 15 protesting players.

Hermoso, who plays for Mexican side Pachuca, missed a penalty in the match but Spain held on to win through Olga Carmona’s first-half strike.

“We played how we wanted to play and we won a World Cup,” an emotional Hermoso told Spanish broadcasters La 1, in tears after the game.

Related Topics

Jenni Hermoso /

Luis Rubiales /

Jorge Vilda

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Spain opens case against soccer chief for World Cup kiss. Luis Rubiales breaks week-long silence

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Madrid to demand the resignation of the Spanish soccer federation’s president. Luis Rubiales received criticism after kissing a Spanish player on the lips during the Women’s World Cup final trophy ceremony. (August 25/28)

The president of the Spanish soccer federation Luis Rubiales speaks during an emergency general assembly meeting in Las Rozas, Friday Aug. 25, 2023. Rubiales has refused to resign despite an uproar for kissing a player, Jennifer Hermoso on the lips without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final. Rubiales had also grabbed his crotch in a lewd victory gesture from the section of dignitaries with Spain’s Queen Letizia and the 16-year old Princess Sofía nearby. (Real Federación Española de Fútbol/Europa Press via AP)

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A woman holds a board depicting Spanish soccer federation President Luis Rubiales being shown a red card and hands applauding, during a protest against Rubiales in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. A Spanish government legal panel is opening a case against suspended soccer chief Luis Rubiales who has come in for a storm of criticism and calls for his resignation for kissing a player on the lips without consent after Spain won the recent Women’s World Cup final in Sydney. (AP Photo/Paul White)

People shout slogans during a protest against the Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. A Spanish government legal panel is opening a case against suspended soccer chief Luis Rubiales who has come in for a storm of criticism and calls for his resignation for kissing a player on the lips without consent after Spain won the recent Women’s World Cup final in Sydney. (AP Photo/Paul White)

FILE - President of Spain’s soccer federation, Luis Rubiales stands with Spain’s Women’s World Cup soccer team after being received by Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. The kiss by Luis Rubiales has unleashed a storm of fury over gender equality that almost marred the unprecedented victory but now looks set to go down as a milestone in both Spanish soccer history but also in women’s rights.(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, file)

People shout slogans during a protest against the Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. A Spanish government legal panel is opening a case against suspended soccer chief Luis Rubiales who has come in for a storm of criticism and calls for his resignation for kissing a player on the lips without consent after Spain won the recent Women’s World Cup final in Sydney. Placards read ‘Justice’ and ‘It’s over’. (AP Photo/Paul White)

People shout slogans during a protest against the Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. A Spanish government legal panel is opening a case against suspended soccer chief Luis Rubiales who has come in for a storm of criticism and calls for his resignation for kissing a player on the lips without consent after Spain won the recent Women’s World Cup final in Sydney. Placards read ‘Justice’, Corruption, Resign’. (AP Photo/Paul White)

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s government began a move to oust suspended soccer chief Luis Rubiales, who ended a week of silence on Friday by insisting he was the victim of a smear campaign.

Rubiales has come in for a storm of criticism and calls for his resignation for his behavior during and after Spain’s recent Women’s World Cup triumph in Sydney. He kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips without consent and grabbed his crotch in a lewd victory gesture.

On Friday, a Spanish government legal panel handling sports issues opened a formal case against Rubiales — president of the Spanish Football Federation and a vice president of UEFA — over his conduct that was televised globally, making him a national embarrassment.

Spain is hoping to remove him independently of a FIFA process that has already suspended him provisionally. The government panel will decide if Rubiales abused his authority by kissing Hermoso or damaged the image and reputation of Spain at a sporting event, as the government claims. He could be banned from office for two years.

“When the eyes of the world were played on our players, his acts caused damage to our sport and our country that is difficult to repair,” said Miquel Iceta, Spain’s acting minister of culture and sport.

Following the decision by the panel, Rubiales made his first public statement since refusing to step down a week ago and claiming he was a victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.”

“I committed some evident mistakes, for which I sincerely repent,” Rubiales said on Friday. He insisted the kiss with Hermoso was “mutual, consensual and occurred in a moment of euphoria” — a characterization that the player firmly denies.

He added he participated in FIFA’s investigation as well as the federation’s own internal probe.

“During all this time I have suffered an unprecedented lynching by news outlets and politicians that has completely marginalized me. Not just in Spain but internationally,” he said in his statement published on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The decision by the panel, however, to consider Rubiales’ acts as allegedly “serious” as opposed to “very serious” dealt a setback to the government. If they had been deemed “very serious” charges, the government could have moved to declare him suspended from office until the panel rules on his case.

Iceta said that while the government cannot directly suspend Rubiales while awaiting the outcome of his case before the panel, as was its intention, it will ask the legal panel to consider suspending him provisionally anyway.

FIFA has already suspended Rubiales for 90 days while it carries out its disciplinary case, so the Spanish decision will have little immediate effect. The panel decision does put more pressure on Rubiales as his few original supporters try to distance themselves from him.

Spain men’s coach Luis de la Fuente, who applauded Rubiales’ diatribe against feminism last week, apologized on Friday for having clapped, saying, “I made a human error. It was inexcusable.”

In a statement last Saturday, Hermoso said she considered herself the victim of abuse of power and accused the federation of trying to pressure her into supporting Rubiales.

The federation initially hit back by saying she was lying and it would take legal action against her. But following the FIFA suspension, the federation on Monday urged Rubiales to step down.

On Tuesday, the federation suspended Rubiales’ wages and ordered him to return the federation car, his laptop and mobile phone.

Rubiales has been left with virtually no supporters. His mother staged a brief hunger strike in a church in southern Spain, demanding justice for her son and calling on Hermoso to rectify her stance.

Meanwhile, support for Hermoso from Spanish and international officials, athletes and celebrities was overwhelming.

On Friday, the president of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, said he urged Rubiales “to say sorry, explain what he did and then, without doubt, consider resigning.”

Small protests were held against Rubiales in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities on Friday night.

“We should convert and channel all the outrage we feel to fight him and generate a huge social pressure to force him to leave,” 27-year-old Coral de la Torre said in Madrid.

On Thursday, Spain women’s star Aitana Bonmatí was voted best player of the year and used her acceptance speech at the UEFA awards ceremony to voice support for Hermoso.

“As a society, we cannot allow the abuse of power in a working environment or disrespect,” Bonmatí said on stage in Monte Carlo. “To all women who are suffering the same thing as Jenni, we’re with you.”

Earlier in the week, the United Nations Human Rights office said in a social media message, “We join Spain’s Jenni Hermoso and all those working to end abuse and sexism in sport. Make this a turning point.”

There is no time limit for the legal panel to make a ruling in the case.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Outrage as Spain FA president kisses World Cup star on the lips in ‘excessive’ celebration

Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso defended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales after he came under fire for kissing her on the lips following the team’s Women’s World Cup victory on Sunday .

Rubiales was criticised on social media for his celebration with Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain beat England 1-0 to lift the trophy for the first time.

“I didn’t like it,” said Spain midfielder Hermoso on an Instagram live stream after the game, although she was laughing as she spoke.

Later Hermoso said the moment was a “natural gesture of affection”.

“It was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that winning a World Cup brings,” said Hermoso, in comments passed to AFP by the Spanish federation.

“The president and I have a great relationship, his behaviour with all of us has been outstanding and it was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude.

“A gesture of friendship and gratitude cannot be gone over so much, we have won a World Cup and we are not going to deviate from what is important.”

Spanish TV presenter Claudya Carolina though described Rubiales’ actions as “unpresentable” and “excessive”.

Craig Foster called it “horrific” and urged FIFA and the Spanish FA to stand Rubiales down.

“The kiss with Jenni? Idiots are everywhere,” Rubiales told Radio MARCA in response to the criticism.

“When two people have an unimportant gesture of affection, we can’t listen to idiocy”.

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Footage from the Spain locker room also later showed Rubiales declaring there would be an all-expenses paid trip to Ibiza for the team, adding “and there, we’ll celebrate my wedding with Jenni!”.

Spain’s World Cup charge was tainted by controversy over both the federation and coach Jorge Vilda’s relationship with the players.

Several top stars formed part of a 15-player protest against the national team ahead of the tournament, although many relented in their stance and three were included in the squad.

Rubiales was a firm backer of Vilda and the RFEF was criticised for their strong position against the 15 protesting players.

Hermoso, who plays for Mexican side Pachuca, missed a penalty in the match but Spain held on to win through Olga Carmona’s first-half strike.

“We played how we wanted to play and we won a World Cup,” an emotional Hermoso told Spanish broadcasters La 1, in tears after the game.

What's happening in the World Cup kiss row between Spain's Luis Rubiales and Jenni Hermoso?

The crisis was caused after Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales kissed forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the World Cup awards presentation. Sky's Rob Harris explains who has said what in Spain's stand-off.

Sunday 27 August 2023 12:40, UK

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Spanish football boss apologises after kissing player on the lips in post-match celebration

Spanish fa president luis rubiales has apologised for an unsolicited kiss on the lips of jenni hermoso after fans online voiced their outrage, calling the kiss an "abuse of power" during a historic moment for the spanish team..

Jenni Hermoso foi beijada na boca pelo presidente da Federação Espanola de Futebol, Luís Rubiales logo depois desse abraço. Credit: Twitter

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Spain chief accused of making obscene gesture next to Queen Letizia after kissing scandal

It was glory for Spain as they beat England 1-0 to win the Women's World Cup for the first time in their history but the celebrations were tainted by their FA President

• 09:10, 21 Aug 2023
• Updated 09:28, 21 Aug 2023

Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales is facing more criticism after footage emerged of him appearing to grab his testicles in an obscene gesture next to Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Sofia.

Rubiales sparked controversy by kissing World Cup winning player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during Sunday's trophy presentation in Sydney after Spain’s 1-0 win over England . Left-wing Spanish politicians branded the 45-year-old’s kiss, which Hermoso admitted after the match she hadn’t liked, an act of “sexual violence.”

But in subsequent comments facilitated by Spain’s FA, the Madrid-born footballer who currently plays for Mexican side Pachuca, played down the incident, referring to the moment as a “mutually and totally spontaneous gesture” and insisted: “The president and I have a great relationship.”

Irene Montero, the country’s acting Equality Minister, had said in a stinging attack on Rubiales: “We shouldn’t assume that kissing someone without their consent is something ‘that happens’. It’s a form of sexual violence women suffer regularly and up until now invisibly that we cannot normalise.”

Iona Belarra, Spain’s Acting Minister of Social Rights, pinned her political colleague’s tweet and added: “What we all think. If they do this with the whole country watching, what won’t they do in private. Sexual violence against women has to stop.”

Rubiales attempted to laugh off the criticism by insisting it was a peck on the lips “between two friends celebrating something” and urged people to ignore “the idiots.” But by Monday he was under the spotlight again after appearing to deliberately grab his testicles and thrust his private parts towards Spain’s female footballers during an energetic celebration after the final whistle had blown from the stands at Stadium Australia . Queen Letizia and her youngster daughter Sofia were stood right beside him when he made his obscene gesture after punching his fists repeatedly in the area. Spanish politician Pablo Echenique, a member of hard-left wing party Podemos, raged: “As well as giving Jenni Hermoso a non-consensual kiss on the lips while he grabbed her head, an act that could represent the commission of a crime, Rubiales also celebrated Spain’s victory grabbing his testicles next to the queen and her daughter.

He also posted a photo of the Spanish FA president planting a sloppy kiss on the left cheek of goalscorer Olga Carmona, who learnt after the match her father had died, and wrote on his Twitter feed: “Here he is too with Olga Carmona. It seems this guy was drooling over and stalking the whole team.”

HAVE YOUR SAY! Has the World Cup taken women's football to new levels? Comment below .

Rubiales appeared to be taking the comments in his stride and has yet to comment on the claims he grabbed his private parts in front of Spain’s leading female royals. He was filmed in the dressing room after the World Cup final, announcing a trip to Ibiza for Spain’s winning women as a prize before joking in front of Jenni Hermoso and her teammates: “In Ibiza we’ll be celebrating Jenni and Luis Rubiales’ wedding."

Hermoso initially admitted she hadn’t liked the kiss in a live online stream to fans from the dressing room. But she followed that up with a new statement which read: "It was a completely spontaneous mutual gesture due to the immense joy of winning a World Cup .

"The President and I have a great relationship; his behaviour towards all of us has been exemplary, and it was a natural expression of affection and gratitude. There’s no need to overanalyse a gesture of friendship and gratitude; we’ve won a World Cup, and we won’t stray from what’s important."

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Women's World Cup final rocked by kiss scandal as Aussie great rips 'horrific' act

Lucy bronze didn't want a bar of gianni infantino, while luis rubiales planted a kiss on jenni hermoso..

Socceroos great Craig Foster has called out the 'horrific' moment Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso on the mouth after the Women's World Cup final . Hermoso helped Spain become the first country to win both the men's and women's World Cups after a 1-0 win over England on Sunday night.

However controversy has erupted in the aftermath of the match after Rubiales was spotted kissing Hermoso on the lips during the post-match presentation. Hermoso and Rubiales shared an emotional embrace on the podium as the Spanish players were receiving their medals, before Rubiales placed a kiss on Hermoso's lips.

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In an Instagram live video after the match, Hermoso said “I didn’t like it" when asked about the kiss, however she was laughing at the time. She later dismissed the incident as a “natural gesture of affection”, saying: “It was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that winning a World Cup brings.

"The president and I have a great relationship, his behaviour with all of us has been outstanding and it was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude...It cannot be gone over so much, we have won a World Cup and we are not going to deviate from what is important.”

President of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, Kissed Jenni Hermoso, striker of Spain. Weird 😲 #WHUCHE Enzo #Asake02Arena #SpainVsEngland Ward Prowse Mudryk pic.twitter.com/o0AHerreIS — Olamide Not Baddo (@Iam_Olamide10) August 20, 2023

Rubiales later said: “The kiss with Jenni? Idiots are everywhere. When two people have an unimportant gesture of affection, we can’t listen to idiocy”. However Spanish TV presenter Claudya Carolina said Rubiales’ actions were “unpresentable” and “excessive”, and she wasn't alone.

Foster tweeted on Monday morning: "Women in sport are daily subject to an extreme power differential, objectification, harassment, sexual abuse and an absence of agency and power. This is horrific. He should be stood down immediately by ⁦FIFA and the Spanish FA."

A video from inside the Spanish locker room also captured Rubiales vowing to pay for an all-expense trip to Ibiza for the players. Rubialos also declared “and there, we’ll celebrate my wedding with Jenni!”.

Women in sport are daily subject to an extreme power differential, objectification, harassment, sexual abuse and an absence of agency and power. This is horrific. He should be stood down immediately by ⁦ @FIFAcom ⁩ and the Spanish FA. #FIFAWWC https://t.co/pN5KYHXPAX — Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) August 20, 2023

The behaviour of Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales here is not ok. This the highlight of a footballer's career and they are highly emotionally charged. Jenni Hermoso said on Spanish TV of his grab and lip kiss: "Eh...yeah, I did not enjoy that." https://t.co/u8WjAUj71a — Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) August 20, 2023

Luis Rubiales then enters the dressing room. He tells players that the FA will pay for a trip to Ibiza, and that is where he will marry Jenni Hermoso. The footage was posted on Salma Paralluelo 's Instagram Live. https://t.co/UpJojODnh6 — Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) August 20, 2023

The concerning fact here is the nonchalant manner Rubiales behaves towards Hermoso. The FA president does this on the biggest stage of the sport with royalty and officials near him, surrounded by cameras. Very disturbing, and frankly, concerning. pic.twitter.com/Hh89dfWX4S — SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) August 20, 2023

Lucy Bronze's brutal snub of FIFA president

It wasn't the only controversial moment during the post-match ceremony, with England defender Lucy Bronze appearing to snub FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Bronze accepted her silver medal from Infantino, but didn't shake his hand in what appeared to be a blatant snub.

Many viewers suggested Bronze's actions were sparked by controversial comments made by Infantino ahead of the final. The FIFA president picked a bizarre time to send a message to female players, saying: "Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights. You have the power to change. You have the power to convince us men what we have to do and what we don’t have to do. You do it. Just do it.

"With men, with FIFA, you will find open doors. Just push the doors. They are open. And do it also at national level, in every country, at continental level, in every confederation. Just keep pushing, keep the momentum, keep dreaming, and let’s really go for a full equality."

Spain's World Cup triumph amid player mutiny

Spain's victory comes amid a tumultuous time for their women's football team, after a player mutiny saw 15 players walk out on the national team in the wake of their qualification for the World Cup. Players cited concerns over under-investment and coach Jorge Vilda's allegedly authoritarian approach to management.

Only three players - Aitana Bonmati , Mariona Caldentey , and Ona Batlle - returned, while stars including Mapi Leon, Patri Guijarro, and Claudia Pina have continued their boycott. Vilda said he had no intentions of stepping down after Sunday night's final

"I said the other day if all of this was necessary to be world champions, that it's valid," he said. "At the sporting level I think it's been a great year.

"It's been difficult in a personal level management level but at the sporting level we've achieved results that we've never achieved before. The full support of the federation has been incredible."

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Spanish RSFF President Luis Rubiales Kissed Jenni Hermoso on the Lips After World Cup Victory

By stephen douglas | aug 20, 2023.

Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup on Sunday, beating England, 1-0, thanks to a first half goal from Olga Carmona. During the medal ceremony following the victory, Royal Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubailes embraced all of the players on stage. Some were lifted off the ground. Most got a kiss on the cheek. Star Jenni Hermoso was given a kiss on the lips .

President of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, Kissed Jenni Hermoso, striker of Spain. Weird 😲 #WHUCHE Enzo #Asake02Arena #SpainVsEngland Ward Prowse Mudryk pic.twitter.com/o0AHerreIS — Olamide Not Baddo (@Iam_Olamide10) August 20, 2023

In a comment posted on Instagram, Hermoso said she didn't enjoy it, but what could she do? Per The Mirror :

Hermoso, who starred for an impressive and convincing Spanish team in the final, was asked about the exchange on Instagram Live which was amplified by Spain’s TV news station RTVE after the match. She appeared to be embarrassed and uncomfortable with the subject, and replied: "Eh...yeah, I did not enjoy that."

Rubiales reportedly downplayed the reaction to his behavior, telling the media there were idiots everywhere.

🎙️ Luis Rubiales, en el micrófono de @PabloParra_95 , rumbo al aeropuerto de Sidney 💥"¿El beso con Jenni? Idiotas hay en todas partes. Cuando dos personas tienen una muestra de cariño sin importancia, no podemos hacer caso a las idioteces" ✅"Somos campeonas y con eso me quedo" pic.twitter.com/t2PdY9vBmC — Radio MARCA (@RadioMARCA) August 20, 2023

Via Google Translate: "The kiss with Jenni? Idiots are everywhere. When two people have an unimportant show of affection, we can't pay attention to idiotic things."

To make things even less professional, Rubailes reportedly announced the federation would be paying for a celebratory trip to Ibiza . During the celebration of that announcement he then apparently joked, "En Ibiza celebramos la boda de Jenni y Luis Rubiales," or, "In Ibiza we celebrate the wedding of Jenni and Luis Rubiales."

No acaba el esperpento: "En Ibiza la boda de Jenni y de Luis Rubiales", dice el presidente de la Federación Española. No doy crédito 👇 pic.twitter.com/zGDM6DlAQI — Diego FS 🌿 (@DiegoFSRB) August 20, 2023

You can watch the entire handshake below if you want to see just how excited he was to see each player and then the coach.

Spain's Jenni Hermoso says she's 'victim of assault,' entire national team refuses to play

Jenni Hermoso said she felt she was the victim of an assault after Luis Rubiales groped and kissed her on the medals podium following the World Cup final, and she and her teammates said they will not play again until federation officials are gone.

In a statement issued Friday, Spain's all-time leading scorer flatly refuted Rubiales' claims the kiss was consensual and that she initiated it. She also said Spain's federation pressured her to release a statement, and has been contacting her friends and family to try and reach her.

"I want to reiterate that I did not like what happened," Hermoso said in her statement . “I felt vulnerable and was a victim of assault, what happened was sexist, impulsive, out of place, and non-consensual.”

In a separate statement, Hermoso and her World Cup teammates said they will "refuse to compete until the team's leaders resign." That includes Rubiales , whose refusal to resign Friday as federation president could cost the World Cup champions their first Olympic appearance. More than 50 other current and former players also signed the letter.

OPINION: Spain's Luis Rubiales didn't 'do the right thing' and resign when asked. Now what, FIFA?

Spain’s next official game is Sept. 21 against Sweden in the Nations League, which is being used to determine which two European teams join host France at next summer’s Paris Olympics.

The four group winners advance to the Nations League semifinals, with the finalists qualifying for Paris. If France makes the Nations League final, the team that wins the third-place game would get Europe’s last spot.

Spain is in a group with Sweden, which finished third at the World Cup, Switzerland and Italy. That would seem to make the game against Sweden critical for Spain’s hopes of qualifying for its first Olympics.

Spain’s pipeline is so deep it was able to easily replace most of the 15 players who expressed concerns to the federation last September about coach Jorge Vilda and the environment he created. Only three of those players were included on the World Cup roster.

But with so many players saying they will not play, even Spain will have a hard time fielding a team that could compete with Sweden. Patri Guijarro, Mapi Leon and others in the group of 15 were among the additional players who signed the letter.

Support for Hermoso

In her statement, Hermoso said she doesn't feel it's her job to ensure federation officials are acting properly. But she said Rubiales' behavior is just the latest injustice women players have experienced over the years, and she felt empowered to speak out by all the support she's received.

U.S. women's co-captain Alex Morgan; Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani; England's Alex Greenwood; and Norway's Ada Hegerberg were among those who criticized Rubiales and demanded change. Pau Gasol, who led Spain's basketball team to two Olympic silver medals and was recently inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame also expressed support for Hermoso.

And Borja Iglesias, a star on the men's team, said he will not play for Spain until Rubiales is gone.

Federation claps back

The federation doubled down on Rubiales' rantings hours after Hermoso's statement, giving what it called a photo-by-photo analysis to show "Mr. President has not lied." It also threatened to take legal action against Futpro, the union for Spain's women players, which released the statement by Hermoso and the rest of the World Cup team.

Comunicado Oficial. Agosto 25, 2023. pic.twitter.com/4OqhqwwJ8P — Jenn1 Hermos0 (@Jennihermoso) August 25, 2023