Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales is hit with sexual assault probe as one football chief launches criminal complaint after he kissed women’s star Jenni Hermoso after World Cup win

• Luis Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the Women’s World Cup final
• Spanish FA chief reluctantly apologised after Hermoso insisted she ‘didn’t like it’ 
• Now Spanish football chief Miguel Galan has accused Rubiales of sexual assault

Luis Rubiales, the man at the centre of the World Cup kiss controversy, has now been accused of sexual assault.

The Spanish FA president, 46, kissed Spanish women’s player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth without her consent after Hermoso had helped La Roja win the World Cup with a 1-0 win against England.

Attacking midfielder Hermoso, who plays for CF Pachuca, admitted she ‘didn’t like’ it when Rubiales grabbed her and held her in a tight embrace before kissing her on the lips on the celebratory podium after the match, for which he later reluctantly apologised despite initially defending his behaviour.

He also grabbed his crotch in what was described by USA legend Megan Rapinoe as a ‘signal of a deep level of misogyny and sexism’, who insisted his kiss was ‘physical assault’.

Spanish football chief Miguel Ángel Galán has now filed a complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office in Madrid and the State Attorney General’s Office alleging Rubiales’ actions constituted sexual assault.

Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales (above) has been accused of sexual assault on Wednesday

Rubiales kissed women’s player Jenni Hermoso (No 11) on the mouth without her consent

Spanish football chief Miguel Angel Galan has filed a complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office

Galan, president of CENAFE – the country’s national school for football coaches – said: ‘I would like to file a complaint against Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Soccer Federation, for committing an alleged crime of sexual assault against the Spanish women’s soccer team’s Jennifer Hermoso.

‘This was an intolerable act of sexist behaviour within our sport, which could constitute an alleged crime of sexual assault. I therefore request that a complaint be filed’.

Galan had already submitted a written complaint to Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) and the Spanish FA (RFEF) itself, with his latest actions pursuing the criminal route.

Prime minister Pedro Sanchez criticised Rubiales and demanded he explain the kiss. Mail Sport‘s Ian Herbert described Rubiales as ‘reptilian’ and ‘creepy’, while it emerged Rubiales reportedly begged Hermoso to shoot an apology video with him.

According to Spanish outlet AS, the Spanish FA have called an emergency AGM for Friday to discuss the issue, with an internal investigation underway. Rubiales is not thought to be considering resigning despite the controversy. 

He said in his apology: ‘There is also something I regret and it’s over something that happened between a female player and myself who enjoy a magnificent relationship the same as I have with other women players. I’ve no doubt made a mistake and I have to admit it.

‘At a moment of maximum excitement, without any bad intention or bad faith, what happened happened in a very spontaneous manner, I repeat without bad faith on either side… it has caused a controversy in some sectors and some people appear to have been upset and therefore I have to apologise… I have to learn from this.’

The news comes on the same day Mail Sport reported Spain coach Jorge Vilda appeared to grab a female staff member’s breast during the World Cup final celebrations.

Rubiales’ controversial actions, for which he later apologised, have been widely criticised

Video footage taken seconds after Olga Carmona’s 29th-minute goal against the Lionesses shows the Spanish staff celebrating – and Vilda’s left hand seeming to linger on a female staff member’s breast. 

There have also been complaints around Vilda’s conduct from the players, amid allegations he created a controlling environment. 

Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported he forced players to keep the doors of their rooms open until midnight to check for himself that they were there before going to sleep.

Vilda was allegedly in charge of closing the door and making sure the lights were turned off. These practices were abandoned after the 2019 World Cup following complaints but there are still heavy restrictions on their freedoms while in camp.

Vilda’s control is said to be excessive to the point he will check their bags when they return from a shopping trip, while players also have to say who they are meeting if they want to leave camp, with all movement subject to strict surveillance.

In 2022, 15 players wrote to the Spanish FA claiming they would not be available for selection while Vilda remained in his position, asserting he was ‘damaging their mental health’.

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