Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Monday apologised for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women’s World Cup.
Rubiales, 45, kissed Hermoso on the lips after she collected her medal, provoking an immediate global reaction.
“Certainly I made a mistake and I have to acknowledge that,” Rubiales said in a video posted on social media by Spanish television.
“It was done without any ill intention in a moment of the highest exuberance. Here we saw it as natural and normal but outside it has caused a commotion.”
“I have no choice but to apologise and to learn from this… and when representing the federation take more care,” he said, adding that he thought the furore was “idiotic”.
