MADRID, 22 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, affirmed this Thursday that it cannot be “continuously questioning” that the Spanish Super Cup is played in Saudi Arabia and, after considering that it is being positive for the society of that country, warned that “why can’t he go to soccer” there when “there is an ambassador, bilateral relations and business”.
“The decision was made at the time, it is signed until 2029 and we cannot continually question it. I have been a manager for the necessary time to know that whoever does not want to be convinced of something will not be convinced. We are not politicians, but if there are ambassadors, bilateral relations and other businesses there, why can’t soccer go there?” Rubiales said during the organization’s General Assembly.
The leader was “convinced” that they are “making society grow and improve” in the country and asked to “ask” what it seemed to a president of the “Third Division” that the tournament was played there. “By playing here, the RFEF used to receive 120,000 euros and now 40 million,” he asserted.
Rubiales insisted that they are “doing positive work” in Saudi Arabia where there is now “a women’s league and women’s leaders.” “We have helped to train them, also refereeing and coaches. It is a decision (to take the Super Cup there) that allows us to consolidate a tremendous source of income. Between the Cup and the Super Cup, leaving marketing aside, we are in around 90 million euros, the vast majority of which goes to modest football”, he remarked.
He also referred to the fact that he had gone to play the World Cup in Qatar, a country that does not respect human rights. “When the 1982 World Cup was awarded, Spain was a dictatorship. I don’t have to speak or question the decision made 45 or 50 years ago, but I am one of those who think that football should go everywhere and help society change for his beastly transforming power,” he explained.
“Those of us who have been in Qatar and those of us who have seen the evolution in Saudi Arabia in the last four or five years are convinced that football leaves an important legacy. We do not agree on many things and we censor them, without reason doubts, but we can turn our backs on an entire society or try to explain that things can change, he declared.
HOPEFUL WITH THE 2030 BID AND “VERY STRONG” WITH DE LA FUENTE
On the other hand, the president of the RFEF stressed that they are “prepared” to host a World Cup, a dream that involves the joint candidacy with Portugal and Ukraine by 2030. “We deserve it and we could surely organize it in a few months, but with everything With the time we have and with the seriousness with which we are working, we are firm candidates,” he stressed.
In this sense, he celebrated the subsidy that they are going to receive from the Government to promote the project and approved last Tuesday. “We are still the only sports federation that does not have ordinary aid from the CSD and this is very good for us. We are going to continue working with the Government so that it increases by 2023-2024,” declared the president.
In addition, although he knows that justice “takes time”, he has no doubt that it will support them “on some issues that have tried to stain this federation”, and he stressed that they continue “working for a fairer football” in which “the teams humble get ahead” thanks to the help of his organization.
On a sporting level, Luis Rubiales assured that they have already “recovered” from the disappointment of the World Cup in Qatar. “We are already very strong with Luis de la Fuente,” said the leader, who remarked that after being “for many years the number one federation in the men’s youth academy,” they can now boast of being so in the women’s.
“I’m sure that in two to four years we’ll be in a position to fight for a World Cup or a European Championship, but we’ve already seen that it’s not easy,” he pointed out, celebrating that Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, confirmed the “important achievement” that there will be a Women’s Futsal World Cup soon. “For 2023 I wish a lot of health and justice,” Rubiales concluded.