Luis Rubiales, the disgraced former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), was egged during the launch of his new book in Madrid on Thursday. The incident occurred when a man, whom Rubiales later identified as his uncle, threw three eggs in his direction. One of the eggs struck Rubiales on the back.
Speaking to the news portal Periodista Digital, Rubiales confirmed that the man responsible was his uncle, whom he referred to as Luis Ruben, and who is reportedly of the same age as him. Rubiales expressed disbelief over the attack, calling his uncle a “deranged person” and insisting there was no justification for the act. He added that the situation became alarming enough that he initially thought his uncle might be armed.
The Spanish national police confirmed the arrest of a man in connection with the egg attack, but did not verify the family relationship. Rubiales, visibly shaken, attempted to pursue the assailant but was quickly restrained by others present at the event. The attack occurred during the presentation of Rubiales’ book, titled Matar a Rubiales (Killing Rubiales), which delves into his controversial departure from football administration.
Earlier in the week, Rubiales had spoken on Spanish television, claiming that the backlash over his forced kiss of Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women’s World Cup medal ceremony had been exaggerated by what he called a “sudden far-left movement” that manipulated public opinion. Rubiales was fined €10,800 after a court convicted him of sexual assault for the non-consensual kiss, which came after Spain’s historic World Cup win in Sydney. Despite the court’s ruling, Rubiales has consistently maintained that the kiss was consensual, and his lawyer has announced plans to appeal the conviction.
The incident involving Rubiales and Hermoso ignited widespread outrage, resulting in Rubiales resigning from his position as RFEF president. The affair also led to his three-year ban from football-related activities and sparked a wider conversation about sexism and macho culture in sport, particularly within football.
Rubiales’ legal troubles and the resulting scandal have caused significant upheaval within Spanish football, with the focus now shifting to his legal appeal and the wider impact on gender equality in the sport.
