LUIS RUBIALES has been embroiled in legal battles since his shocking actions at the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, with prosecutors now seeking jail time for the disgraced football chief.
As England and Spain prepare to face off in this weekend’s Euros final, many fans will remember the controversy that overshadowed Spain‘s previous international triumph.
The former Spanish FA president made global headlines when he planted an allegedly unwanted kiss on star player Jenni Hermoso after Spain’s victory against England – a stark contrast to the scenes at this year’s Women’s Euros where England faced Italy in another nail-biting clash.
Rubiales’ career in football administration is now in tatters, with a lengthy ban and serious criminal charges hanging over his head.
Why has Luis Rubiales been banned?
Football’s world governing body, Fifa, handed Luis Rubiales a three-year ban from all football-related activities at national and international levels on October 30, 2023.
He was banned for breaching article 13 of Fifa’s disciplinary code, which relates to “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play”.
The case specifically related to the events that occurred during the final of the Fifa Women’s World Cup on August 20, 2023, with Fifa reaffirming its “absolute commitment to respecting and protecting the integrity of all people”.
This ban means Rubiales will be sidelined from football until late 2026, ensuring he’ll miss the men’s World Cup that year.
Who is Luis Rubiales?
Rubiales is a former football player who was born August 23, 1977, in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
He played as a defender for several Spanish teams throughout his career, including Guadix CF, RCD Mallorca B, UE Lleida, Xerez CD, Levante UD, and Alicante CF.
After hanging up his boots, Rubiales began his career as a Spanish football official in 2010 and was elected as president of the Association of Spanish Footballers.
He rose to become president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, a role which he stepped down from in September 2023 following weeks of resistance and mounting pressure.
What happened with Jenni Hermoso?
Following Spain‘s triumph at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Rubiales shocked the world when he grabbed player Jenni Hermoso and kissed her on the lips during the medal ceremony.
Striker Hermoso later lodged a sexual assault complaint in person at the State Attorney General’s Office, describing the kiss as “an impulsive, sexist act, out of place and without any type of consent on my part”.
In January 2024, Hermoso testified to a judge that the kiss was “at no time consensual,” reinforcing her previous statements.
Rubiales was also criticised for grabbing his crotch as he celebrated Spain’s World Cup win while the country’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter, Sofía, were nearby.
What legal trouble is Rubiales facing now?
The legal consequences have intensified for Rubiales since the initial controversy.
In March 2024, Spanish prosecutors formally sought a two-and-a-half-year jail term for the disgraced ex-football chief, who now faces trial for the non-consensual kiss.
The charges include sexual assault and coercion, with the Public Ministry formally accusing him after months of investigation.
In early April 2024, reports emerged that Rubiales was returning from the Dominican Republic amid the ongoing judicial probe.
As of July 2025, the case is still moving through the Spanish legal system, with no final verdict yet reached.
What has Luis Rubiales said?
Rubiales initially promised to “defend his innocence” after announcing his resignation in September 2023.
When news of him stepping down from the Spanish FA broke, Rubiales wrote on social media: “I will defend my honour. I will defend my innocence. I have faith in the future. I have faith in the truth. Thanks everyone.”
Following his three-year ban, he took to social media again, stating that he would appeal the ban: “I will go to the last resort to see that justice is done and that the truth shines through.”
Since then, Rubiales has maintained a lower public profile as his legal challenges mounted.
Is Luis Rubiales married and does he have children?
Rubiales has three daughters named Lucia, Ana and Elena.
The former footballer previously described his daughters as “strong” in an interview, saying they are “stronger than [him]”.
He shares his children with his ex-wife, Spanish lawyer Maria Manuela Delicado Vega.
The former couple’s eldest daughter, Lucia, is a History of Art graduate, while their second, Ana, has been described as an “activist” by her father.
Their youngest daughter, Elena, would now be around 17 years old as of 2025.
Will Rubiales return to football?
Spain’s government made its position clear back in August 2023, with a minister declaring that Rubiales “cannot run Spanish football again” as even his allies abandoned him.
With his FIFA ban not set to expire until late 2026, and serious legal issues still unresolved, a return to football administration appears extremely unlikely for the disgraced former president.
The Spanish Football Federation has since moved on with new leadership, working to repair its damaged reputation following the scandal that made headlines worldwide.
Football experts believe that even after his ban ends, the serious nature of his misconduct and the public backlash would make any return to a position of power virtually impossible.
