Coaches from Spain women's team quit over Rubiales kiss

1. 11 members of the women's team coaching staff have resigned, but manager Jorge Vilda is still in charge of the team
2. Earlier, world football governing body Fifa suspended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales for an initial 90 day period
3. Rubiales kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony after Spain won the Women’s World Cup final
4. He says the kiss was consensual - Hermoso says it was not
5. Fifa says that, in addition to the suspension from all football activities, neither Rubiales nor the football federation are allowed to contact Hermoso
6. Rubiales has vowed to defend himself and prove his "complete innocence", according to the federation

Thanks for joining us, that's all for today

After a particularly busy day, we're going to pause our coverage of the Hermoso kiss row.

It was a busy day, with major developments including that Luis Rubiales was suspended by Fifa pending the outcome of its disciplinary proceedings. Spain's entire coaching staff from their World Cup win - except for the manager - also resigned over the controversy.

If you want to read more about what happened, head to our story here.

Today's page was brought to you by Jamie Whitehead, Ali Abbas Ahmadi, Antoinette Radford and Nathan Williams.

WATCH: Rubiales kiss row... in 75 seconds

The Rubiales World Cup kiss row... in 75 seconds

We've put together this video summing up the whole controversy, in one minute and 15 seconds.

Spain's football federation deletes statement criticising Hermoso

Spain's football federation, the RFEF, has now deleted a statement from its official website accusing the World Cup winning player, Jenni Hermoso, of misrepresenting reality.

Earlier today, the federation threatened Hermoso with legal action after she accused the head of the federation, Luis Rubiales, of kissing her on the lips without consent.

Rubiales has faced a wave of condemnation but insisted the kiss was consensual and has refused to resign.

San Diego Wave players wear wristbands in support of Hermoso

US women's football team San Diego Wave FC has expressed its support for Jenni Hermoso.

The team, managed by ex-Manchester United manager Casey Stoney, posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing their players wearing tape on their wrists in support of the Spanish star during their victory of Orlando Pride yesterday.

'We're with you Jenni Hermoso,' the club tweeted in Spanish ahead of the game.

USA Today Sports

Wrist tape bearing the words 'We're with you Jenni Hermoso' was visible in San Diego Wave FC's victory yesterday

Who is Jenni Hermoso?

Getty Images

The player at the centre of all of this is Jenni Hermoso - a highly decorated footballer who is considered one of Spain's best ever female footballers. Here is a quick look at her career:

• Born in 1990, Hermoso currently plays for the Mexican club side CF Pachuca
• She is the granddaughter of Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Antonio Hernandez, and joined the Madrid-based club's youth system at 12 years old. She made her senior debut in 2012
• Her career took her to several teams in Spain and across Europe. She spent most of her career at FC Barcelona, where she played from 2013 to 2017 and from 2019 until last year
• Hermoso is widely regarded as one of the best forwards in the women’s game, and is considered a legend for both Spain and Barcelona
• She is the top goalscorer for both teams, and has scored 181 goals for Barcelona and 51 for Spain
• Hermoso has won six Spanish league titles, the Champions League, and the World Cup, among other honours. She won the Pichichi – the award given for the player who scores the most goals in the Spanish league – a record five times

A wild week for Spanish football

Last Sunday, Spanish fans were revelling in the success of their national women's team. Today, the headlines couldn't be more different.

Here's a brief timeline of how we got here...

20 August

• During the ceremony after the World Cup final, Spanish forward Jenni Hermoso is first embraced and then kissed on the lips by Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales
• Hermoso later reacts to the kiss during a live stream and says she "did not enjoy" it

21 August

• Rubiales issues an apology saying he is "sorry for those who were offended" after being fiercely criticised by other footballers, the media and even by the Spanish prime minister

24 August

• Fifa opens disciplinary proceedings to examine Rubiales' actions

Reuters

There were protests outside the Spanish football federation on Friday

25 August

• A defiant Rubiales insists he won't resign at an emergency meeting of the Spanish Federation, and calls the kiss "consensual"
• Spain's government says it is beginning legal proceedings seeking to suspend Rubiales
• Hermoso releases a statement on Instagram rejecting Rubiales' claims, saying that "at no time... was his kiss ever consensual"
• 81 Spanish players - including all 23 players who went to the Women's World Cup - say they won't play for the women's team until Rubiales is removed

26 August

• The Spanish football federation says it will take legal action against Hermoso over her "lies" about the kiss
• Fifa announces it is provisionally suspending Rubiales pending the outcome of its disciplinary proceedings
• A mass resignation of coaches is announced in protest at Rubiales' conduct

Rubiales stole Spain's moment, says senior football official

A senior official at the Spanish women's football league has condemned the actions of Luis Rubiales

Pedro Malabia Sanchis, chief strategy officer at the Spanish Women's Football League - or Liga F - has been speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM on Saturday.

Sanchis says on the programme: "We don't want these kind of people in football, in society. It's a reflection of what Spain is, what the world is.

"It's about honour, honourability, it's about respect. If you are supporting this kind of behaviour you are part of the problem, and you need to go out of football.

"[Rubiales] has stolen the biggest sports moment in Spain for many years."

Sanchis also praises the players who said they would refuse to play for Spain while Rubiales remains in his role.

If you're just joining us...

Here's a quick summary of what's happened so far today,

• Fifa has suspended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales for 90 days
• This follows the controversy that erupted after he kissed player Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup final medal cermony
• He's also been told he must not contact Hermoso
• 11 members of the women's team coaching staff have resigned. Some of them were allegedly forced to sit in the front row when Rubiales gave an address yesterday – during which he insisted he would not quit
• Team manager Jorge Vilda has not resigned
• Spain's men's national team manager Luis de la Fuente has criticised Rubiales' actions

Rubiales maintains that he will defend himself, and says he "fully trusts Fifa". He says the kiss was consensual. Rubiales does not.

Spain's top flight action this weekend

Six teams are playing in Spain’s top flight men’s league - and two games have already started.

So far, only one La Liga player has said he won’t play for the national team while Rubiales is in charge of Spain's football federation – that's Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias.

We’re keeping an eye on the fixtures today, and will bring you any updates from clubs, players and supporters' groups as we get it.

Today's La Liga fixtures:

• Cadiz v Almeria (18:00 BST)
• Granada v Real Mallorca (18:00 BST)
• Sevilla v Girona (20:00 BST)

Champions Barcelona are away at Sevilla tomorrow.

Barcelona statement supporting Hermoso

Getty Images

Jenni Hermoso celebrating after Barcelona won the Copa de la Reina final in 2021

Before Rubiales was suspended by FIFA, Hermoso's former club Barcelona released a statement supporting her after the kiss following last weekend’s World Cup final.

The club “wishes to make clear that it considers totally improper and inappropriate the RFEF president's behaviour”, it said in a statement, and labelled Rubiales’ actions as “deplorable”.

The statement went on to say that the club is committed to maintaining “equality between men and women in sport and in society in general” and in guaranteeing the safety of women.

Hermoso played for Barcelona for four years between 2013 and 2017.

This is not just about a guy who's completely out of touch with reality

Guillem Balague

Spanish football expert

For me, this is the Spanish #MeToo. It certainly feels like a tsunami - a social, political and sporting tsunami.

And it's a great opportunity to focus attention on the treatment of woman, and on the systemic corruption of an elite organisation, like the Spanish football federation.

It's the story not just about a guy who's completely out of touch with reality, but who has created his own world in his little castle, surrounded by acolytes and people that see the world the same as him.

But they have become a minority, and their way of looking at the world has been exposed.

These include the manager of the women's national side - the controversial Jorge Vilda - or the manager of the men's national team Luis de la Fuente (who on Saturday issued a statement condemning Rubiales' behaviour). They were among those seen clapping in the assembly yesterday when Luis Rubiales was defending his actions in front of members of the Spanish federation.

And so it's worth remembering that the players are not calling just for Rubiales to go, but for all the directors' heads as well. The system has to change

Spain men's national team manager condemns Rubiales

Reuters

The manager of Spain’s men’s national team, Luis de la Fuente, has now issued a statement criticising the “wrong and misplaced behaviour of the president of the RFEF”, according to Spanish sports newspaper AS.

On Friday De la Fuente was seen applauding Rubiales’ statement to the Spanish federation during which he defended his actions and vowed not to resign.

But De la Fuente has now said Rubiales’ actions “are not edifying or appropriate for a person who was representing all of Spanish football”.

He also expressed his “absolute rejection of any act of sexist violence. There is no room for lukewarm postures when facing this type of situation.”

He said he regrets that this has “taken centre stage to what is really important: the unprecedented feat achieved by Spanish women's football, of which we should all feel very proud".

Female staff forced to sit in front row for Rubiales’ address, coaches say

Reuters

Several female members of the women’s football coaching staff were forced to sit in the front row during Luis Rubiales’ address to the Spanish football federation yesterday in an attempt to show that they supported his message, according to the statement released by the staff shared by presenter Semra Hunter.

Rubiales defended kissing Jenni Hermoso and vowed not to resign in front of the Spanish football federation on Friday.

This was seen as particularly hurtful, and is one of the reasons listed for their resignation.

More from the coaching staff statement

The statement from the 11 members of the coaching staff says Rubiales "offered a story that does not reflect in any way what was felt by Jenni Hermoso, who has expressly stated that she felt she was the "victim of aggression", and that they are resigning from their positions.

"Given the unacceptable attitudes and statements made by the president, they have made the decision to relieve themselves of their duties," it reads as translated by sports presenter Semra Hunter.

The resignations would leave the manager Jorge Vilda on his own.

Vilda supports Rubiales and has his own issues with the players.

BreakingMass resignation of coaching staff in Spain women's national team

We're hearing reports that a large number of coaches from the Spanish women's national team have resigned in protest over the conduct of Luis Rubiales, who kissed star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the team won the World Cup.

More on this shortly...

A big chance to move things forward

Guillem Balague

Spanish football expert

This story has snowballed especially quickly because it comes off the back of Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup.

Many people are saying that it’s a shame not to be celebrating the football success.

But I see this as one of the biggest weeks I can remember in the recent history of Spain - in a positive way - because of the way this issue has shaken up Spanish football, and Spanish society.

It's an opportunity even for the journalists writing about the story to make changes - to bring more women, and more people from the minorities onto news desks, to understand how the world really runs and how to make it better.

So it's a chance, a big chance, to move things forward.

BreakingRubiales statement in full

Luis Rubiales will fight the accusations against him, a statement from the Spanish football federation says.

The full statement reads:

"Luis Rubiales has stated that he will legally defend himself in the competent bodies, he fully trusts Fifa and reiterates that, in this way, he is given the opportunity to begin his defence so that the truth prevails and his complete innocence is proven."

BreakingRubiales: I will defend myself

Getty Images

We're seeing reports from the Reuters news agency that Luis Rubiales says he will defend himself after Fifa suspended him from "all football-related activities at national and international level" for an initial 90-day period.

We'll bring you more shortly...

Will this hurt Spain's chances of hosting World Cup?

Guy Hedgecoe

Reporting from Madrid

One of the sub-plots to the Rubiales affair has been how it affects Spain's international image.

A specific concern is the country's candidacy to host the men's 2030 Fifa World Cup, in a shared bid with Portugal, Morocco and Ukraine.

Culture and Sports Minister Miquel Iceta told El País (in an interview published this morning) that he was hopeful the bid would not be undermined and added: "If we are able to respond quickly we can come out of this stronger."

Fifa's suspension of Rubiales, however, only increases the international dimension of this crisis.

The racism row that engulfed Spanish football earlier this year, following abuse of the Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr, raised similar worries.

'He doesn’t represent men’s football or women’s football'

Bruno Boelpaep

Reporting from Madrid

BBC

At a Saturday morning training session at Las Rozas Football Club, the local team is playing a friendly game against neighbouring town of Guadia.

Nines and Javier live in Las Rozas, in the outskirts of the Spanish capital Madrid.

They are watching their son David, 18, play his first game of the new season.

When asked about Rubiales, Nines doesn’t hesitate: “He humiliated a woman and he needs to go. He doesn’t represent us. He doesn’t represent men’s football or women’s football”, she says.

Alex Webster is a local player, he comes out of the changing room after finishing his training session and says: “I Think Spanish society is really on the girl‘s side, from what I’ve seen, what people have been posting, players, managers, people are on the girl's side. Not many people are with the president”

BBC