Luis Rubiales had no choice but to come back to the fore, and not to talk about Spain’s triumph in the women’s soccer World Cup final, but to apologize for his controversial kiss on the mouth of soccer player Jennifer Hermoso during title celebration.
“There is a fact that I have to regret, which is what happened between me and a player,” says the president of the Spanish Federation in a video that he has published on social networks. “Surely I was wrong, I have to admit,” he added.
Rubiales stressed that he has a “magnificent” relationship with Hermoso “just like with other” soccer players on the national team. “In a moment of maximum effusiveness, without any bad intention, what happened spontaneously happened without bad faith on either side,” he said.
The president of the Spanish Federation already tried to downplay the matter on the same Sunday night (Spanish time) launching some insults against those who criticized the action.
The measure, evidently, was not enough. “Here (in Australia) it was not understood (the controversy) because we saw it as something natural, normal. But as it were, a commotion has been raised, if there are people who have felt damaged, I have to apologize, there is no other option, “he has insured.
Luis Rubiales also wanted to make it clear that he had to “learn from this”. “When one is president of an institution as important as the Federation, well, he has to be more careful, especially in ceremonies,” he added.
The president of the RFEF also wanted to reverse his attacks on those who criticized his action, whom he had branded as “idiots ass.” “There are some statements, when saying that this seems idiotic to me, that they were because nobody here gave it the slightest importance,” he explained.
“Outside they have given it to them and I also want to apologize to those people because I understand that, if it has been seen differently from the outside, they will surely have their reasons”, he stated a few hours after Spain beat England 1-0 .
“I am sorry because, given the greatest success in our history in women’s football, this has somewhat tarnished the celebration. I think we must give credit to these women and to the team led by Jorge Vilda. This has to be celebrated by all high”, concluded Rubiales
