(Las Rozas de Madrid) Spain men’s soccer coach Luis de la Fuente asked “forgiveness” on Friday for applauding Luis Rubiales’ speech in which he claimed his kiss to Jenni Hermoso was “consensual” and denounced “false feminism”.

“I received harsh criticism,” he admitted after applauding last Friday, at an extraordinary general meeting, the speech of the president of the Federation, since suspended.

They “are totally deserved. I regret it, I understand it and I ask forgiveness, “said Luis de la Fuente in a press conference, acknowledging being “uncomfortable”.

“I came to the meeting convinced that we were going to see a president’s farewell and it was quite the opposite,” he said, saying he was “shocked” when Rubiales claimed that he would not resign while his departure had been announced since the day before by all the Spanish media.

“I didn’t measure up (..) When I saw myself next… I didn’t recognize myself,” de la Fuente said again when most of the press questions were about the kissing affair. forced, during a press conference organized before two qualifying matches for Euro-2024.

Luis Rubiales, 46, sparked international outrage when he kissed on the mouth and surprised No.10 Jenni Hermoso during the Women’s World Cup medal ceremony in Sydney on August 20.

A few days later, despite the rain of condemnations and appeals to leave, the head of the federation announced that he was not going to resign for “a little kiss”, denouncing “a false feminism” and arguing that he had obtained the permission of the player before kissing her.

A version denied by Hermoso who said he felt “victim of aggression”.

FIFA, world football’s governing body, has provisionally suspended Rubiales for 90 days. Following the suspension, de la Fuente issued a statement criticizing the “inappropriate” and “inappropriate” behavior of Luis Rubiales.