Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales resigns from his position, three weeks on from his unsolicited kiss with player Jennifer Hermoso in the aftermath of the World Cup final.
He first publicised the news last night during an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored where he explained why he couldn’t continue in the post.
He outlines how he spoke with his father, his daughters and friends of his before coming to the decision, paying heed to their advice which he recounts as the following;
“They say 'Luis, you have to focus on your dignity and to continue your life, because you know probably that you are going to damage people you love and the sport you love'.”
Rubiales also spoke of the scrutiny he has been subject to since the final, raising “moral question” and pointing out that “this is more a question of not only me, the attitude of me can affect third parties that are very important."
BREAKING: Rubiales has resigned as President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation following the scandal over him kissing Spain’s Jenni Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup Final. He revealed the news in a world exclusive interview for @PiersUncensored.pic.twitter.com/lVM6xn7Y3K
— TalkTV (@TalkTV) September 10, 2023
His resignation was later backed up with a statement he released on X, and confirmed by the Spanish FA.
Defenderé mi honorabilidad.
Defenderé mi inocencia.
Tengo Fe en el futuro.
Tengo Fe en la verdad.
Gracias a todos. 🇪🇸https://t.co/yS9rM1HBTm— Luis Rubiales (@LuisRubiales17) September 10, 2023
Rubiales Resigns- The Backstory
The 46-year-old, who was already suspended from the role before he offered his resignation, faced ever increasing pressure to step down over recent weeks from the FA, Spanish players and football’s governing bodies around the world.
The player who he had non- consensually kissed following Spain’s 1-0 win over England in the World Cup final, Hermoso, was reported to have filed a legal complaint against him last week, their manager Jorge Vilda (who came under widespread criticism before the tournament even started) was dismissed and the Spanish women’s team reported that they would not play any more matches until the issue was resolved, all in the wake of the original incident.
Montse Tome was then appointed as the Spanish FA’s first female head coach, while interim president Pedro Rocha condemned the actions of Luis Rubiales, explaining how the RFEF had the “deepest regret for what has happened that has tarnished our team, our football, and our society.”
