Spain’s former football federation president, Luis Rubiales, has lost his appeal against a sexual assault conviction, bringing a dramatic chapter in Spanish football to a close or at least one more page closer to it.
Rubiales was fined €10,800 in February for kissing Spanish women’s team captain Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent after Spain’s historic World Cup victory over England in August 2023. Now, an appeals court has upheld the conviction, rejecting his claim that the kiss was nothing more than a “spontaneous act of affection”.
It was, in the court’s words, non-consensual from the outset, and far from spontaneous especially since Rubiales had “restrained himself” around other players, and could have done the same with the captain “without too much effort”.
What Happened at the Final?
The moment in question happened during the trophy ceremony at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney, where Spain beat England 1–0. Rubiales, in front of a global audience, grabbed Hermoso’s head and kissed her on the lips.
In addition, he grabbed his crotch in celebration all while standing just metres away from Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter. As if that wasn’t enough, he also carried another player, Athenea del Castillo, over his shoulder in a bizarre post-match flourish.
The backlash was swift. FIFA handed Rubiales a three year ban from all football activity, citing violations of the sport’s code of conduct and behaviour that “brings football into disrepute”. That’s putting it mildly.
The Fallout: Courts, Bans, and a Royal Audience
The Spanish court has now also upheld a restraining order, banning Rubiales from going within 200 metres of Hermoso or contacting her for one year.
Hermoso testified that the kiss “disrespected” her and “stained one of the happiest days” of her life. Prosecutors also alleged Rubiales tried to pressure her into publicly claiming the kiss was consensual a coercion charge the court ultimately dismissed.
Meanwhile, three other federation officials including former coach Jorge Vilda and sporting director Albert Luque were cleared of coercion. That decision was also upheld.
The Long Goodbye
Rubiales initially refused to resign, digging in for weeks as pressure mounted from the Spanish government, the public, and the very players he was supposed to support.
Eventually, in September, he stepped down as federation president and also gave up his €250,000 a year UEFA vice presidency. He timed the announcement with a carefully managed media interview, stating that “it is clear that I cannot return to the post”.
UEFA offered a polite farewell, thanking him for his service, while Spain’s bid to co-host the 2030 men’s World Cup once a possible casualty of the scandal has since become the sole candidate in a joint proposal with Portugal, Morocco, and three South American nations.
Can He Still Appeal?
Technically, yes. Rubiales has 10 days to request the full details of FIFA’s disciplinary verdict and can then appeal. If rejected, he can take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But as of now, his football career is on ice and unlikely to thaw before the next men’s World Cup in 2026.
As it stands, Luis Rubiales has gone from president of Spain’s football federation to a cautionary tale in less than a year a reminder that power doesn’t exempt anyone from accountability, especially not on the world stage with cameras rolling.
