He called us all “dumb ass.” But you have to be stupid to lose control to the point of touching your genitals in a box a few meters from Queen Letizia, before the cameras of hundreds of millions of people and representing a country, or a country’s football. More than one thought: “What has this one taken?”
In addition, there is the kiss, not consented to, that is, forced, to Jenni Hernández. But, once the fury for the triumph has been overcome, you have to have a level mind to call those who hallucinate and criticize such behavior imbeciles; among whom, in the end, seems to be all of God. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, with whom he presumed to be in good harmony, considered his apology insufficient and pointed out the path: resignation or intervention by the Higher Sports Council.
Rubiales has agreed to the right and to the left, Yolanda Díaz and Cuca Gamarra. In addition to the vice president, several ministers, the opposition, the entire world, the unions, the player he kissed, FIFA, Ancelotti, Cerezo, Ángel Torres… But until this Thursday (4 days after the peak), the uncle resisted. With two flats.
You have to have rennet to believe, in these circumstances, being flagrantly guilty of such acts, that you could continue representing Spanish football, inside and outside our borders. Luis Rubiales is more vulgar than rancid bacon, more tacky than removing earwax with the long nail of the little finger, but it must be recognized that he is tough to peel, or that the 700,000 euros of salary will grab him. How is it possible that he has withstood almost a week such a level of pressure?
The answer is simple: he thinks he has done nothing wrong and that his management, according to the results, is brilliant. I mean, he’s so utterly macho that he doesn’t seem aware of what he did.
Only after seeing himself completely alone, and realizing that if he didn’t leave, he would be kicked out, did he decide to give up. Resignation is less dishonorable than dismissal. He had no other options from the moment he kissed Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup final, but especially after the disastrous management of the crisis. Nothing and no one could with him after previous scandals such as the commissions with Piqué for the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia or the parties with women in Salobreña paid with federal money, or the trip to New York with a Mexican woman disguised as a job so that the Federation would pay.
Rubiales leaves after being left alone, facing the Government and the opposition, with football disqualifying him, filed by FIFA, and reprimanded by his victim.
The canary (he was born in Las Palmas) became president of the Federation on May 17, 2018, a year after the arrest of Angel Maria Villar, who was president for 29 years. Rubiales, a former soccer player and lawyer, said that modernization and transparency would come to soccer with him, but as soon as he landed he sparked controversy by striking down the coach Julen Lopetegui, in the concentration of the World Cup in Russia, for having reached an agreement with Real Madrid. The World Cup was a disaster but as far as we know he didn’t kiss any player, although some time later he had, shall we say, an affair with Piqué. Nothing that could make Shakira angry at the time.
Tension with the 18 rebel footballers (including Jenni)
It is true that with him the Federation entered much more in part thanks to the exploitation of the Cup and the Super Cup. But he always dragged some deep-seated controversies. The tensions with LaLiga and Javier Tebas, the agreement with Arabia, the return of Luis Enrique to the bench or the tension with the 18 ‘rebel’ footballers (among which was Jenni Hermoso) marked his mandate. But he survived because football protected him and the territorial federations grew at the same time that they received 100,000 euros a year for its modernization and the modest clubs appreciated his support.
It is fair to recognize that with Rubiales we have won the Nations League (with Luis de la Fuente’s team in June) and the Women’s World Cup, which he will always remember with a bittersweet taste.
Above the innumerable enemies that he has earned, Jenni Hermoso and FIFA are the ones who have put the finishing touch on him. The player whom she kissed without consent broke her silence this Wednesday through a statement from her FUTPRO union, and called for “exemplary measures” against her president. A manager will manage the RFEF until 2024 and then maybe Iker Casillas stand as a candidate.