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It took Luis Rubiales’ public behavior to validate Spain players’ concerns

Jorge Vilda and Luis Rubiales were at the center of the original complaints from Spain’s “Las 15.” (Alex Pantling – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales has refused to resign from his position in the aftermath of the scandal at the Women’s World Cup final, despite reports that he would do so on Friday.

Rubiales was seen non-consensually kissing player Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony and making a lewd gesture in the stands at the end of the game. His actions have come under fire in the days following the Spain women’s national team’s first World Cup win. During an emergency meeting among Spain’s soccer federation (RFEF) members on Friday, where reports had indicated Rubiales would resign, he instead staunchly defended his actions and refused to bend to public pressure.

“They’ve told me that the best thing would be to resign because if not, probably on Monday it would occur to someone to kick me out of the forum, find the formula,” Rubiales said in his speech. “But we’re in a country where the law rules, where there has to be a motive to take you out of some place. And I say: what is it I’ve done? A consensual peck is enough to get me out of here?”

The immediate aftermath of the shocking moment and the World Cup win itself was chaotic. Hermoso was seen saying on teammate Salma Paralluelo’s Instagram Live stream that she didn’t enjoy the kiss. Then, Rubiales was filmed making jokes about it in the locker room, including that he and Hermoso would get married in Ibiza.

Once it became clear the story wasn’t going away, Spain’s soccer federation, RFEF, issued a statement on Hermoso’s behalf downplaying the incident. It was later reported that the statement was not made with her full participation, which RFEF denies.

Rubiales put out a video statement apologizing for how the kiss was perceived and was met with a public outcry. Prominent players like the USWNT’s Megan Rapinoe and Sweden’s Caroline Seger, and coaches like the San Diego Wave’s Casey Stoney, condemned Rubiales and his actions.

“I want the whole world to react,” Seger told a Swedish newspaper, “and I want something to happen because it’s clear that there are problems in RFEF. If people think it’s not wrong, it’s just not acceptable!”

Spanish politicians have also condemned Rubiales’s actions. Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s acting prime minister, said Rubiales’ apology “wasn’t sufficient.” Futpro, the Spanish players’ union, said it would investigate inappropriate actions on Hermoso’s behalf in conjunction with TMJ, Hermoso’s agency. Liga F, Spain’s premier women’s domestic league, called for Rubiales’ resignation.

“It is time to take a step forward,” Liga F’s statement read. “The opposite would be a humiliation for all women and the biggest defeat of Spanish sport and our country.”

Beatriz Álvarez Mesa, President of Liga F, went one step further in her comments.

“Those of us inside know that he has never done anything for women’s football,” she said this week. “He creates obstacles and inconveniences. Luis Rubiales has never believed, nor will he believe, in women and their role in soccer.”

Rapinoe also alluded to the larger issues following the Spanish federation both before and after the World Cup. Rubiales’ behavior signaled “such a deep level of misogyny and sexism in that federation and in that man,” she told The Atlantic this week.

In fact, Spain has been shrouded in controversy for over a year. Even as the team reached new heights at the international level, they were followed by the story of “Las 15,” the 15 players who refused call-ups to the senior team due to issues with federation resources and the management of coach Jorge Vilda.

In the letter “Las 15” originally sent to the federation, those specific issues weren’t shared in detail, though players said the culture was having an “important effect on my emotional state and by extension my health.” A report in The Athletic elaborated on some of the complaints, which included allegations that the coaching staff requested hotel doors remain open until midnight and the intrusive searching of player belongings.

RFEF — led by Rubiales — quickly condemned “Las 15,” sticking by Vilda’s management and demanding contrition from protesting players in order to have a chance to play in the World Cup. Three players — Aitana Bonmatí, Ona Batlle and Mariona Caldentey — returned to the team, and the group made it all the way to the World Cup trophy lift despite intense internal tension.

The USWNT’s Christen Press had expressed hope that Spain’s World Cup success would give players greater leverage to effect change inside their federation, but that reality has played out differently. In a strange way, swift public reaction to internal complaints only came in the moment that Rubiales felt that he too had won.

He had been quoted in the Spanish media as feeling vindicated by Spain’s success in the World Cup prior to the final, celebrating what he saw as a few naysayers being proven wrong. He also initially called the backlash to his behavior “idiotic,” telling Spanish radio station Cope: “We do not pay any attention to idiots and stupid people. It was a peck between two friends celebrating something.”

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Jennifer Hermoso celebrates Spain's World Cup win on Sunday. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

The defiance immediately after the final whistle blew wasn’t relegated to individuals. The official social media channel for the Spain women’s national team posted a photo of Vilda with the caption “Vilda In,” appearing to directly reference criticisms of the team’s head coach. For a few brief moments, those who had reprimanded “Las 15” so fiercely had appeared to get what they wanted — validation by winning on the field.

As disheartening as it is to see, those attitudes have long held a place in sports, and specifically in women’s sports.

“You can be a fantastic football coach, absolutely fantastic, and you can be an absolutely horrible human being and not deserve to be in a position,” Gotham FC and USWNT player Midge Purce said on “The 91st” podcast. And her perspective is hard-won.

“We’ve seen it in the NWSL when we had to get rid of coaches, because the very thing existed. We had a coach who was the most winningest coach in the league, in league history, and he was abusing the players,” Purce continued, referring to the culture of abuse under Paul Riley while he was a head coach in the NWSL.

“I don’t really see this line of reasoning, which is ‘you win, you must stay,’ and I think prioritizes the values of society really, really poorly. What a dangerous message to send to not just young women but young men as well.”

The aftermath of the incident also showcased the pressures Spain’s players have likely been feeling for months. Hermoso downplayed the kiss in a radio interview, calling it “just a small thing.” But the 33-year-old midfielder also reportedly refused to appear alongside Rubiales in his apology video, despite pleas from both Rubiales and Vilda, and she supports those urging appropriate action be taken.

The good news is that Rubiales’ brazenness in the moment has caught the attention of those with far more influence than any individual player.

“What it does is it licenses me to speculate a lot, way more than I was before,” said Purce. “And the amount, the speculation that I have is very damning. And my heart is with the players, and I hope that it concludes in the way that is beneficial to them.”

With FIFA’s interest in the case, hope is renewed that the internal reform many have hoped for inside Spain’s federation might soon come to fruition, despite Rubiales’ adamant denials. Let’s also hope that next time, it won’t take egregious behavior in the public eye for those in power to take serious action.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries Ride Upset Wins into the WNBA Weekend

Phoenix Mercury players including Satou Sabally huddle during a 2025 WNBA game against the New York Liberty.
Phoenix rose to No. 3 in the WNBA standings with Thursday's win over New York. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Las Vegas Aces Aim to Stop Skid Ahead of Tough WNBA Weekend Matchups

Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson tries to defend a lay-up from Seattle's Gabby Williams during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Las Vegas Aces will face both Seattle and Indiana this weekend. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
  • No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
  • No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

NWSL Kicks Off Final Gameday Slate Ahead of Summer Break

The San Diego Wave celebrate a goal by María Sánchez during a 2025 NWSL match.
The San Diego Wave will take on 2024 runners-up Washington on Sunday. (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

  • No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.
  • No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.
  • No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Ups Purse to $12 Million, Ties LPGA Tour Record

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul hits a shot during the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul is in the lead after one round at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.

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