Spain had just won a historic World Cup gold.
Just then everyone raged against the federal president Luis Rubiales.
Now he’s fighting back.
– There are idiots everywhere, he says.
Spain had never won a major championship on the women’s side, but have impressed enormously at this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Spain, among other things, knocked out Sweden in the semi-finals after a thriller that was decided in the final minutes, and in the final they put up another impressive effort.
Lindahl’s criticism
They could even afford to burn a penalty against England, when they kept a clean sheet and won the match 1-0. The historic World Cup gold was wildly celebrated, but a few minutes later it was something completely different that shocked all the television viewers at home, and the images immediately became widely talked about – and many raged against what took place during the medal ceremony.
The president of the confederation, Luis Rubiales, was there to congratulate the players, and when he spoke to some of the players, he chose to take a firm hold of their heads, and then kiss them on the mouth. He is also said to have given some people a pat on the butt. Many at home on the TV couch were furious.
“This is deeply worrying. After a month of tributes to women, respect for women, this happens at the end. It’s not okay,” wrote Hedvig Lindahl on X, among others.
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Now striking back
Jennifer Hermoso was one of the players who received an unexpected kiss from their president during the ceremony, and afterwards she said in a live broadcast that “it was not nice at all”. Later in the evening, however, she chose to take back her statement – and last night Rubiales also broke his silence if it happened, which caused so many to react with anger and surprise.
To Spanish Radio Marca, Rubiales hits back with all clarity, and believes that those who criticize him are “idiots”.
– The kiss with Jenni? There are idiots everywhere. When two people have a moment of affection without meaning, we can’t listen to idiocy. We are champions and I stick to that, says Rubiales, according to SVT.
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