Luis Rubiales has stepped down as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and as a Uefa vice-president, almost a month after forcibly kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso during the Women's World Cup victory celebrations. The incident sparked widespread outrage and a national debate on sexism.
Rubiales initially refused to resign, dismissing critics as “idiots and stupid people”. However, after being provisionally suspended by Fifa and facing a criminal complaint from Hermoso accusing him of sexual assault, he announced his resignation in a TalkTV interview and later in a defiant statement. He said he could not continue his work and that his departure would help bring stability to the joint 2030 World Cup bid by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
In his statement, Rubiales claimed he was the victim of a “disproportionate” campaign and that “the powers that be would get in the way of my return”. He added that he planned to clear his name, saying: “I believe in the truth and I will do everything in my power to make sure it prevails.”
Hermoso filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday, and the prosecutor's office said her testimony would be processed “as soon as possible”. Under Spain’s recently passed sexual consent law, Rubiales could face a fine or between one and four years in prison if found guilty of sexual assault.
In a statement days after the incident, Hermoso described the kiss as an “impulsive act, sexist, out of place and without any type of consent from my part”. The episode also included Rubiales grabbing his crotch while standing next to Queen Letizia and her daughter, and led to the sacking of coach Jorge Vilda, who had applauded Rubiales’s defiant “I will not resign” speech.
