Spain’s men are required in the European Championship qualification. The first topic, however, was the highly controversial behavior of the association president. The team expressed a clear opinion on this.
Spain’s men’s national team will play EURO qualifiers against Georgia and Cyprus on Friday and Tuesday. Sporting issues were initially in the background. Even before the first training session, the players took the opportunity to comment on the kiss scandal and the behavior of their association president Luis Rubiales.
The team’s captains Álvaro Morata, César Azpilicueta, Rodrigo Hernández and Marco Asensio addressed the media on Monday in the press conference room in Las Rozas near Madrid – and condemned Rubiales’ behavior.
In a statement that Morata read, they wanted to comment on issues “that would have damaged the image of Spanish football”. “We want to reject the behavior of Mr. Rubiales, which from our point of view was unacceptable and does not do justice to the institution he represents,” Morata said.
The 46-year-old Rubiales kissed player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth after the Spaniards’ World Cup triumph at the award ceremony in Sydney. Despite massive criticism and calls for his resignation, he has so far refused to vacate his post. However, Rubiales was suspended by FIFA for 90 days.
Association should be “motor of respect”.
He himself had countered at an extraordinary general meeting of the association and spoke of a “false feminism” that wanted to hunt him down. Rubiales also said the kiss was consensual. Hermoso disagreed.
Spain’s men’s team once again congratulated the women on winning the World Cup, calling it a milestone and an invaluable triumph. They also expressed their solidarity after the women’s success was marred by the incident. They appealed: “Spanish football must be an engine of respect, inspiration, inclusion and diversity, and set an example with its behavior on and off the pitch.”
All players were present when the statement was made.
2023-09-04 18:50:22
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