Spanish FA President Apologises for Kissing Jenni Hermoso after Spain’s World Cup Win | Football/Soccer

Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales has apologised for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women’s World Cup.

Rubiales kissed the Spain forward during the presentation ceremony following the team’s 1-0 win over England in Sunday’s final.

“I didn’t like it,” Hermoso said on Instagram, but a statement released later on her behalf defended Rubiales.

On Monday, Rubiales said: “I was completely wrong, I have to admit it.”

He added: “It was without bad intention at a time with a lot of excitement. In the moment, we saw it as natural, but outside a commotion has formed.

“I have to apologise, learn from this, and understand that when you are president you have to be more careful.”

Rubiales had been criticised by some Spanish government ministers and come under fire on social media.

Spain’s equalities minster Irene Montero said: “It’s a form of sexual violence women suffer on a daily basis.”

Montero added that up to now it had been “invisible” and that it is something “we can’t normalise”.

“We should not assume kissing without consent is something ‘that happens’,” she said.

Spain’s sports minister Miquel Iceta told Spanish public radio it was “unacceptable” for Rubiales to kiss Hermoso, adding: “The first thing he has to do is to give explanations and make apologies, it is the logical and reasonable thing to do.”