Spain’s Coaching Staff Resigns Amid Luis Rubiales Backlash

Nearly all of Spain's coaching staff have resigned from the national team in the wake of RFEF president Luis Rubiales's conduct, the staff announced in a statement Saturday.

The statement, released by Sonia Bermúdez, coach of Spain's U19-U20 women's team, strongly condemns the actions of Rubiales, the head of the Spanish football federation, and expresses support for Jenni Hermoso.

Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent during celebrations for the World Cup, but has since refused to resign. On Friday, members of Spain's women's national team put out a statement, refusing to play until Rubiales is removed.

The only staff member to not resign is head coach Jorge Vilda, who is controversial in his own right and who is very closely tied to Rubiales. In Rubiales's speech to the RFEF general assembly on Friday, where he was expected to resign but instead painted himself as the victim of a witch hunt, he said that he and Vilda had been through a lot together, and that he was planning to offer him a four-year, €500,000-per-year contract.

The coaching staff's statement specifically called out Rubiales for this speech, where he "offered a story that does not reflect in any way what was felt by the aforementioned player, who has expressly stated that she felt like a 'victim of aggression.'" The staff endorsed Hermoso's version of events.

"For all these reasons, the undersigned, in view of the the unacceptable attitudes and statements made by the top leader of the RFEF, have made the decision to make their positions available," the statement read.