'Maximum respect' for Rubiales resignation: Spain coach
Spain men's coach Luis de la Fuente said Monday he "respects" former football federation president Luis Rubiales' decision to resign after causing outrage by kissing a Women's World Cup player on the lips.
Rubiales stood down from his post on Sunday, three weeks after forcibly kissing Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso after her side won the World Cup on August 20th in Sydney.
The incident provoked unprecedented uproar and Rubiales was provisionally suspended by FIFA for 90 days, while a judge at the country's top criminal court opened an investigation into Rubiales earlier Monday.
"(I have) maximum respect for the decision of Luis Rubiales," De la Fuente told a news conference ahead of Spain's Euro 2024 qualifier against Cyprus in Granada.
The coach, 62, did not want to talk about the Rubiales scandal, which he too was criticised for after applauding the former federation president during a fiery defensive speech in which he pledged not to resign.
De la Fuente said he wanted to focus on football and did not know any details about the process of electing a successor to Rubiales.
"I think that the calmer we professionals are, the better," added De la Fuente. "I don't know about (election) times, we will keep thinking about football, football and football.
"If God wants it, we'll be working at Euro 2024 and only thinking about that."
Spain thrashed Georgia 7-1 in Tbilisi on Friday and are second in qualification Group A, behind leaders Scotland.
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Rubiales stood down from his post on Sunday, three weeks after forcibly kissing Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso after her side won the World Cup on August 20th in Sydney.
The incident provoked unprecedented uproar and Rubiales was provisionally suspended by FIFA for 90 days, while a judge at the country's top criminal court opened an investigation into Rubiales earlier Monday.
"(I have) maximum respect for the decision of Luis Rubiales," De la Fuente told a news conference ahead of Spain's Euro 2024 qualifier against Cyprus in Granada.
The coach, 62, did not want to talk about the Rubiales scandal, which he too was criticised for after applauding the former federation president during a fiery defensive speech in which he pledged not to resign.
De la Fuente said he wanted to focus on football and did not know any details about the process of electing a successor to Rubiales.
"I think that the calmer we professionals are, the better," added De la Fuente. "I don't know about (election) times, we will keep thinking about football, football and football.
"If God wants it, we'll be working at Euro 2024 and only thinking about that."
Spain thrashed Georgia 7-1 in Tbilisi on Friday and are second in qualification Group A, behind leaders Scotland.
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