Luis Rubiales, head of the Spanish football federation, is facing backlash for kissing footballer Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth after Spain’s women’s team won their first World Cup by beating England 1-0 in Sydney. This display drew criticism from various quarters in Spain, including government officials.
Irene Montero, Spain’s Equality Minister, emphasized the importance of consent and stated, “It is a form of sexual assault that we women suffer every day and that has been invisible until now and we must not normalize it.” Ione Belarra, Minister of Social Rights, echoed this sentiment, raising concerns about potential private behavior based on what was witnessed publicly.
While Rubiales hugged all the players, he also kissed Hermoso on the mouth after an embrace and cheek kiss. Hermoso expressed discomfort with the action, stating, “I didn’t like it.”
Spain’s World Cup victory occurred amid a conflict between the team and coach Jorge Vilda over coaching methods. Some players had protested by boycotting the squad prior to the tournament, but Rubiales supported his coach throughout the controversy.
Rubiales defended himself against the criticism, dismissing it as baseless and insignificant. He remarked, “The kiss with Jenni? There are idiots everywhere. When two people share an unimportant gesture of mutual affection, you can’t pay attention to the crap that’s being said.”