On August 20th, during the ceremony after the World Cup final, Spain’s forward, Jenni Hermoso, was hugged and kissed on the lips by Luis Rubiales. However, Hermoso later expressed her discomfort with the kiss during a live stream.
The situation escalated on August 21st when Rubiales issued an apology, acknowledging the offense caused by his actions. He faced criticism from fellow footballers, the media, and even the Spanish prime minister, who called for his resignation. On August 24th, FIFA initiated disciplinary proceedings to investigate Rubiales’ actions. Despite the mounting pressure, on August 25th, Rubiales refused to resign, asserting that the kiss was “consensual.”
This led the Spanish government to initiate legal proceedings to suspend Rubiales, with the Spanish secretary of sport aiming to make it a defining moment for Spanish football. On the same day, Hermoso refuted Rubiales’ claims, stating that the kiss was never consensual. In solidarity, 81 Spanish players, including those who participated in the Women’s World Cup, declared they would not represent Spain’s women’s team until Rubiales stepped down.
The Spanish football federation vowed to take legal action against any false information spreading. FIFA, in response, provisionally suspended Rubiales on August 26th while an internal investigation into the events was launched by the federation’s delegate for sexual violence protocol.
The situation continued to intensify as regional heads of Spanish football demanded Rubiales’ resignation. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin condemned Rubiales’ behavior as “inappropriate” but advocated for FIFA’s investigation to proceed. England manager Sarina Wiegman expressed her distress over the crisis in Spanish football, highlighting the challenges women’s sports still face. On September 4th, Spain’s men’s national team also condemned Rubiales’ behavior.
The situation took a significant turn on September 5th when Jorge Vilda, the head coach who led the team to World Cup victory, was sacked. On September 6th, Hermoso formally lodged a complaint against Rubiales with Spain’s national prosecutor’s office.
Finally, on September 10th, Rubiales announced his resignation, marking a significant development in the ongoing controversy.