![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hermoso-Rubiales-696x391.jpg\" "\\"Hermoso-Rubiales\\"\/")
<\/div>\nRoyal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Luis Rubiales is facing criticism for giving\u00a0Spain\u00a0midfielder Jennifer Hermoso a surprise kiss on the lips after the 33-year-old received her gold medal following the team\u2019s\u00a0Women\u2019s World Cup final victory\u00a0over England on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Rubiales was on stage for FIFA\u2019s awards ceremony following the final, along with other dignitaries, including soccer\u2019s world governing body president Gianni Infantino, Spain\u2019s\u00a0Queen Letizia\u00a0and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.<\/p>\n
Video shows Rubiales embracing Hermoso, then putting both hands on her head before kissing her. He then pats her on the back as she walks away.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHey, I didn\u2019t like it, eh,\u201d says Hermoso as she apparently answers questions about the incident in an Instagram live video \u2013 a clip of which was shared by Spanish journalist Irati Vida on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.<\/p>\n
Later in the Instagram live video \u2013 taken in Spain\u2019s locker room \u2013 Hermoso fields a question from another woman: \u201cBut what were you doing, sis?\u201d The 33-year-old replies: \u201cBut what am I supposed to do?\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked by Radio Marca about the incident with Hermoso, Rubiales replied: \u201cThe kiss with Jenni? There are idiots all over. When two people have a moment of affection without any importance, we can\u2019t listen to idiocy. We\u2019re champions and I stay with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Alberto Ortega of the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial\u00a0posted on X\u00a0that, \u201cRubiales taking the trophy from the players to give it to Queen Leticia and kissing Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth is simply disgusting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA new demonstration of the need to suck the camera [be the center of attention] and be the protagonist when it is not his turn,\u201d added Ortega.<\/p>\n
Daily Mirror journalist Colin Millar, who writes about European soccer for the British newspaper, described Rubiales\u2019 behavior as \u201cnot ok.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis the highlight of a footballer\u2019s career and they are highly emotionally charged,\u201d posted\u00a0Millar on X.<\/p>\n
Hermoso wasn\u2019t the only Spanish player kissed by Rubiales in the post-match celebrations.<\/p>\n
After other members of Spain\u2019s squad received their medals, video shows Rubiales kissing them on the cheeks as well as holding some of them in his arms.<\/p>\n
Another video clip shows Rubiales interrupting a group of Spanish players celebrating, before kissing Olga Carmona, who scored Spain\u2019s winning goal in the 1-0 victory over England, on the cheek.<\/p>\n
In footage posted by Spain star Salma Paralluelo in an Instagram Live, Rubiales is pictured entering the dressing room and telling the Spanish players that the RFEF will pay for a trip to Ibiza for them, and that is where he will marry Hermoso.<\/p>\n
CNN has reached out to Hermoso\u2019s agent about the incident and also the RFEF\u2019s press officer in Australia for comment, but hadn\u2019t heard back at the time of publication.<\/p>\n
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