Spain World Cup winner "saddened" by Rubiales saga amid national team boycott

31 August 2023 , 13:40

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Luis Rubiales kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the lips following the Women's World Cup win (Image: Noe Llamas/SPP/REX/Shutterstock)

Spain's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Catalina Coll has admitted she is "saddened" to see her team's victory overshadowed by the actions of Spanish FA [RFEF] president Luis Rubiales.

Rubiales kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain's 1-0 triumph over England in Australia. Hermoso had said she "did not enjoy it" in the aftermath of the incident and later called for the president’s actions to ‘not go unpunished ’.

After sensationally refusing to stand down from his post, Rubiales was suspended by FIFA, with the RFEF subsequently calling on the 46-year-old to resign. Spanish prosecutors have also opened a preliminary investigation into whether the incident amounts to sexual assault.

And Coll, who featured in four of Spain's seven World Cup games, has admitted she is disappointed the spotlight has been on Rubiales' behaviour instead of La Roja's first-ever major tournament win. "I'm saddened the footballers aren't the focus of people's attention," Coll told BBC Sport.

"What disappoints me is that now everyone who stops you on the street talks to you about this and doesn't say: 'Congratulations on the World Cup!' I've celebrated here in Mallorca, my home. I've received a warm reception.

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"I'm happy about what we've achieved but there's a part of me that's sad about what's happening. I want to be talking about how I did in the World Cup, not about this."

Coll, who also won Uefa's under-17s and under-19s European tournaments, is among the 81 female players who say they will not play for the national side again until Rubiales steps down.

"We got in touch with each other," Coll said. "I think we all had the same thought that what happened can't continue. It happened to a team-mate we care about a lot, and we decided that we were going to stand by her no matter what she decided. And that's what we did. This was our decision and this decision is final."

Catalina Coll has been left disappointed by the Rubiales saga

Reflecting on the impact the incident has had on Hermoso, Coll added: "Her phone is flooded with all the messages she's received. She's not in an easy situation, and I can imagine how tough it is for her. But, like I said, we're standing by her no matter what."

"We're sad about all of this, but I trust that everything will be resolved and turn out well. We want to keep winning titles. We're footballers, and we want to play football, which is what we love.

"We just want our rights to be respected and that this doesn't happen again."

Beth Lindop