Luis Rubiales steps down weeks after kiss scandal

BARCELONA: The head of the Spanish soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, resigned on Monday, weeks after kissing a player of Spain’s women’s national team on the lips after the team won the World Cup last month, setting off a national scandal and drawing accusations of abusing his power and perpetuating sexism in the sport.

In a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, Mr. Rubiales said he had submitted his resignation as the federation’s president and as vice president of UEFA,

European soccer’s governing body.

Mr. Rubiales, 46, was largely unrepentant about his actions, but pressure had grown on him and the group he leads, known formally as the Royal Spanish Football Federation, and it became clear that his position was untenable as the outrage against him showed no signs of abating.

Spanish prosecutors opened a sexual assault case on Friday after the player Jennifer Hermoso, who said she was made to feel “vulnerable” and a “victim of an attack” when he kissed her, filed a formal complaint, and there were signs of opposition to his continued presence at the top of Spanish soccer at every turn.