Luis Rubiales: Spanish football boss refuses to quit at crisis meeting over kiss row August 25, 2023 The president of the Spanish football federation has refused to resign despite an uproar after he kissed a player on the lips without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final. Luis Rubiales told an emergency general assembly of the federation “I won’t resign” four times in quick succession, and claimed he was a victim [...]
Nike to sell Mary Earps England goalkeeper shirt after caving in to fan demands August 24, 2023 A limited number of replica Mary Earps goalkeeping shirts are finally being made available to buy by England kit manufacturer Nike. Earps had said prior to the World Cup it was “hugely disappointing and very hurtful” that the replica kits were not available to purchase. Calls for Nike to put things right have grown louder [...]
Fifa opens disciplinary case against Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales over kiss August 24, 2023 Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales’ refusal to quit over his kiss on Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso is set to be tested after Fifa opened proceedings against him. It comes on the eve of an emergency meeting of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), at which action is expected to be taken over the conduct [...]
Ed Warner: Why sport shouldn’t waste its time courting royals and politicians August 24, 2023 Politicians and royals rarely mix well with sport, so the fuss about the Prime Minister and Duke of Cambridge missing the Women’s World Cup final was classic British nonsense. In my experience, the less time spent trying to sprinkle dubious stardust on sporting events, the better. Civil servants and UK Sport spent ridiculous time that [...]
Spanish football chief Rubiales under fresh pressure to quit over Jenni Hermoso kiss August 22, 2023 Embattled Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales is facing renewed pressure to resign as the fallout from kissing Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso on the lips continues. Rubiales’ apology on Monday has failed to dampen the furore over his public lunge at Hermoso as she collected her medal following Sunday’s 1-0 final win over England [...]
England World Cup final defeat smashes UK TV audience records for women’s football August 21, 2023 England’s World Cup final with Spain on Sunday smashed UK TV audience records for a women’s football match, despite an early kick-off and the Lionesses missing out on the trophy. The nail-biting 1-0 defeat attracted an average audience of 13.3m watching on live television, with both BBC One and ITV broadcasting the match from Australia. [...]
Spanish football chief apologises for kissing player Jenni Hermoso after World Cup win August 21, 2023 The president of Spain’s football federation, Luis Rubiales, has apologised for kissing Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso on the lips in the aftermath of Sunday’s final. Rubiales’ public act after Spain beat England 1-0 sparked widespread condemnation, with Spanish ministers, other prominent female players and footballers’ unions criticising his lunge. “There is something I [...]
Nike still won’t sell England goalkeeper shirt despite Mary Earps’ World Cup heroics August 21, 2023 Nike has resisted calls to put an England goalkeeper shirt on sale in the near future despite Mary Earps and the Lionesses’ success in reaching the Women’s World Cup final. The sportswear giant has attracted criticism from fans and players for not producing a replica of Earps’s kit following her World Cup heroics, despite selling [...]
Sarina Wiegman ‘proud’ as Lionesses beaten by Spain in Women’s World Cup final August 20, 2023 England coach Sarina Wiegman admitted she was disappointed but proud of her Lionesses after they suffered Women’s World Cup final heartbreak against Spain today in Sydney. Olga Carmona’s first-half goal handed Spain’s women a first senior world title – and revenge for their European Championship exit against eventual winners England last summer. Goalkeeper Mary Earps [...]
Hurt goes on for England, but will Spanish women’s football catch up at league level? August 20, 2023 And so the hurt goes on. Like other England teams before them, the Lionesses battled bravely in the Women’s World Cup final but ran aground against technically superior opponents who ruthlessly exploited their mistakes. Still, they have earned great credit along the way. Sarina Wiegman’s team had to overcome adversity before the tournament, seeing Euros [...]