Luis Rubiales finally quits as head of Spain's national football federation following World Cup kiss controversy

Luis Rubiales has finally thrown in the towel. Three weeks after the non-consensual kiss with Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup final trophy presentation that tarnished the image of Spanish football and two weeks after FIFA provisionally suspended him from office for a period of 90 days, Rubiales announced his resignation as president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) this Sunday evening, 10 September.

"After the swift suspension by FIFA, plus the rest of the procedures opened against me, it is evident that I will not be able to return to my position," he said in a statement issued tonight. "Insisting on waiting and clinging on to it is not going to contribute anything positive, neither to the Federation nor to Spanish football. Among other things, because there are de facto powers that will prevent my return," he added.

Rubiales communicated his resignation to Pedro Rocha, interim president of the Federation after the Motril man had installed him as the only vice president shortly before the Extraordinary General Assembly held on Friday, 25 August, with which he tried to entrench himself in the position despite pressure from the Government and social condemnation of her unpresentable behaviour during the final of the Women's World Cup held in Sydney.

In addition to the kiss on the lips to Jenni Hermoso at the presentation ceremony, Rubiales also made an obscene gesture when he grabbed his genitals to celebrate Spain's victory over England in the final in the VIP's box and just a few metres from where Queen Letizia was.

In addition to the position of president of the RFEF, for which Rubiales received a gross salary of 675,761.87 euros in 2022, he has also resigned from the position of vice president that he held in UEFA and for which he earned another 250,000 euros.

Rubiales has left still boasting about his management throughout the five years in which he has been in charge of Spanish football, despite the fact that his mandate was punctuated by a long trail of controversies such as the transfer of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia and his endless war with the president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas. He has denounced the existence of a "disproportionate campaign" against him and said one of the reasons for his stepping down is the desire not to harm the chances of the joint candidacy of Spain, Portugal and Morocco to host the 2030 World Cup, which was hit hard by the enormous international repercussion of its embarrassing actions in Australia, causing deep concern in the Spanish government.

"I make this decision after having made sure that my departure will contribute to the stability that will allow both Europe and Africa to remain united in the dream of 2030, which will allow the largest event in the world to be brought to our country," said Rubiales.