Rubiales’ Book Launch Marred by Family Conflict and Controversy

The launch event for Luis Rubiales’ book, “Matar a Rubiales” (Killing Rubiales), erupted into chaos when he was pelted with eggs by his uncle, Luis Ruben Rubiales. The former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is attempting to reshape his public persona following his sexual assault conviction related to a non-consensual kiss involving player Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women’s World Cup medal ceremony. Although he was acquitted of a separate coercion charge, the conviction has marked a significant decline in both his public and professional standing. The book is advertised as an opportunity for him to share his “unfiltered truth,” as he continues to assert that he has been wronged by media, institutions, and politicians. Ironically, the event exposed the profound rifts in his personal life, even within his own family.

In the aftermath of the incident, Rubiales remarked: “Now I’ve found out that it’s my blood uncle, his name is Luis Ruben. An uncle who is my age. He threw eggs at me because he’s a deranged person, and I can’t find a justification for why. We will have to take action against him because I thought he was armed. I went after him because I thought something was going to happen to a family. The fortunate thing is that they stopped me. I don’t know if he had a weapon or anything. I saw a pregnant woman with two small children. I thought about the children. If I had grabbed him, we would be in a different situation now.”

Reporters later approached Rubiales’ uncle outside the Plaza de Castilla courthouse in Madrid. He expressed his well-being to Telecinco, stating, “I’m very well, it’s as if I’ve just returned from a 15-day vacation in Benidorm and I have that energy. I have positive energy.” When inquired whether he expected to face any legal repercussions from Rubiales, he questioned, “Why would he sue me?” Another reporter revealed that the uncle had also intended to throw a bag of breadsticks during the event.

What continues to provoke public ire is Rubiales’ steadfast refusal to issue a direct apology to Hermoso. He stated, “I’m not apologising to Jenni Hermoso because I asked her and she said: ‘Okay’. Jenni and I know that what the ruling says isn’t true. It was a kiss of emotion, with no sexual connotation whatsoever. Jenni was a good friend; she missed a penalty… she helped us a lot in rebuilding the team. I spoke to her on the plane and suggested we both come forward and say what we said. She refused. It was claimed that there was pressure, and we requested the video to demonstrate that there was no such pressure, but the judge did not deem it appropriate to show the video.”

Rubiales has consistently framed the backlash surrounding the kiss as an exaggerated response driven by political and social motives. “It was a mistake; I wasn’t right. From there to everything that’s been blown out of proportion, distorted, and taken to the extreme… with certain interests. It’s more than I deserved,” he declared. “I stand by it. I apologise, I apologise again. As president, I should have been more composed, more professional. I perceived an immediate movement by the far left in this country, with a swift change of script. [Spain’s Prime Minister] Pedro Sanchez needed the support of separatists to be inaugurated and had to grant them amnesty. It served him well to divert attention. Media outlets receiving substantial funding from the league attacked me, and it was evident that the far left, with their hypocritical overreaction to a minor issue, were clearly targeting me.”