Players of Spain’s men’s football team on Monday slammed the ‘unacceptable behavior’ of their federation’s now-suspended boss Luis Rubiales, who surprised a women’s player on the mouth after winning the World Cup .
Hailing the victory of the Spanish players at the World Cup as a “historic event”, their male counterparts “expressed their solidarity with the players, and lamented that their success had been tarnished” by the controversy that followed the behavior of Luis Rubiales during the ceremony after the final, they said in a joint statement read to the press by Alvaro Morata.
“We wish to denounce the unacceptable behavior of Mr. Rubiales, who has not lived up to the institution he represents,” they added.
“We are firmly on the side of the values supported by sport. Spanish football must be a source of respect, inspiration, inclusiveness and diversity, and must set an example in its behavior, both on and off the field,” the players continued in their statement, opposed to Georgia and Cyprus over the coming days for qualifying for Euro-2024.
