Luis Rubiales, a top Spanish football official, was seen kissing forward Jenni Hermoso in the medal presentation ceremony of the 2024 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final in Sydney on Sunday, and has come under the public’s ire, with many lobbing serious allegations.
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The Controversial Kiss
Following Spain’s 1-0 victory over England to clinch their first ever world title, Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation RFEF, was present alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino as the Spanish players received their gold medals. Footage of Rubiales hugging Hermoso, then grabbing her head for a kiss on the lips has been making rounds on social media, with reactions being described as polarised and divisive.
Reactions from player and the boss
Hermoso, the all-time leading goalscorer for her country, expressed her disapproval of the gesture in an interview with Spanish TV network La 1, while reiterating the same in an Instagram live from the dressing rooms, also implying that there was nothing much that she could do. However, Hermoso would go on record with AFP later, claiming that while she “didn’t expect it”, it was a “natural” and “totally spontaneous mutual gesture”, connecting it with the “immense joy of winning a World Cup.” On a radio show broadcasted by Cadena COPE, Hermoso praised the relationship between herself and the “presi”, saying “It’s just going to be an anecdote [of the time]. I’m absolutely sure it won’t be blown up more.”
Rubiales brushed aside any allegations of foul play in a similar manner, describing critics as “idiots” when questioned on the incident by Radio Marca. Claiming it to be a moment of “affection without any importance”, Rubiales was in no mood to tolerate “idiocy”, saying “We’re champions and I stay with that.” In another interview with Cadena COPE, he described the “peck” as “friendly” and denied any “bad intention”. However, in another Instagram live from another Spanish forward Salma Paralluelo, Rubiales is seen making promises of an Ibiza trip for the Spanish squad funded by the RFEF, along with an “invitation” to a “wedding” between him and Hermoso.
Politicians deplore “sexual violence”, calls for resignation
Other noteworthy incidents have been scrutinised on social media since the end of the final, as Spanish politician Pablo Echenique, a member of the Podemos party, shared a video of Rubiales interrupting a group of Spanish players celebrating on the pitch, before kissing the cheek of goalscorer Olga Carmona. “It seems this guy was drooling over and stalking the whole team.” said Echenique on X (formerly Twitter).
Irene Montero, the minister of equality in the Spanish caretaker government, was another politician who contributed to the chorus of criticism towards Rubiales on Spanish airwaves, describing the incident as a form of “sexual violence that women suffer on a daily basis”, and asking for the end of it’s normalisation. Nadia Tronchoni, a lead sports writer for the newspaper El Pais, saw the act as “an intrusion” and “an aggression”.
Adrián Barbón, a Socialist politician, abhorred the “absolute lack of respect” and “abuse”, asserting that “neither the moment, nor the euphoria, nor the joy” justifies such an act. Along with Barbón and many others, Marta Lois, a spokesperson for Sumar, a leftwing coalition, held a similar view and demanded Rubiales’ resignation from the post of head of RFEF.
As reported by Spanish publication El Mundo, this hasn’t been Rubiales’ first brushes with infamy. In September 2022, L’ Equipe, the French sports publication, had reported on a complaint by the former chief of staff of Rubiales, claiming that the president has organised orgies with money taken from the RFEF. Prior to the medal giving presentation on Sunday, another video on social media has been making rounds where Rubiales is seen touching his groin in an indecent gesture, while celebrating Spain’s triumph alongside Queen Leticia and her 16 year-old daughter, as reported by the Daily mail.
Sad end to unprecedented Women’s World Cup
In a tournament which has seen record ticket sales and global exposure, disrupted the dominance of heavyweights like USA, Germany and Brazil while inspiring generations of young girls to pick up a sport lacking proper investment on the women’s side, this incident provides a bitter footnote; “an unpleasant reminder of the sexism that has plagued women’s football” as described by the New York Times.
Spain have become the only country beside Germany to win a World Cup with both their men’s and women’s national teams, but have done so in a backdrop of controversies. Barely 12 months ago, fifteen Spanish players announced their refusal to play under head coach Jorge Vilda, describing his methods as too strict and detrimental to their mental health. Only three players from ‘Las 15’ returned to the squad, including Ona Batlle, Mariona Caldentey and Golden Ball winner, Aitana Bonmati.
There was tragedy as well. With bare minutes left to Olga Carmona, the decisive goalscorer described as Spain’s “heroine”, after fulltime, she was informed of her father’s death. As publications around the world herald their triumph as the establishment of a ‘new world order’, Spanish football and it’s women would have to continue to fight through its internal hurdles.
