BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥 First he backed his beleaguered boss. Then he condemned him. Now he is saying sorry for his part in the scandal that has tarnished Spanish soccer.
The coach of Spain's men's national soccer team begged for forgiveness Friday for applauding the claim by Luis Rubiales that he was the victim of a smear campaign from 鈥渇alse feminists鈥 following an uproar after at the
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I have to resign, I think I have to ask for forgiveness," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said in Madrid in his first public appearance since Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso on Aug. 20 after the final in Sydney, Australia. 鈥淚 made a human error. It was inexcusable.鈥
De la Fuente spoke one week after he clapped several times during an emergency general assembly of the Spanish soccer federation when Rubiales, the organization's president, refused to step down as was expected. Rubiales鈥 speech included claims that Hermoso had consented to his kiss during the awards ceremony 鈥 a claim she has denied 鈥 and against what he called the 鈥渟courge鈥 of feminism in Spain.
Spain's Acting Deputy Prime Minister, Yolanda D铆az, said De la Fuente and women鈥檚 national team coach Jorge Vilda were 鈥渘ot fit to hold鈥 their posts.
鈥淚 have received harsh criticism, and it is completely deserved,鈥 De la Fuente said Friday. 鈥淚f I could go back in time, I would not do that again. We all have to do more for equality. Me too. And I am working on that.鈥
De la Fuente said he was caught off guard by Rubiales' speech and that his applause happened in a 鈥渟ituation of maximum stress and tension.鈥 He said he was convinced Rubiales was going to announce he was stepping down, as was widely reported in local media.
FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, for 90 days a day after his speech. Hours after his boss was suspended, De la Fuente issued a statement condemning Rubiales鈥 behavior after Spain beat England to win the Women鈥檚 World Cup final.
Interim federation president Pedro Rocha, who Rubiales arranged to be his provisional successor, has said that the federation completely backs De la Fuente.
Rocha, however, did not give Vilda the same backing. He said Thursday that Vilda's future would be decided after a meeting at the federation next week. Most of Vilda's staff has resigned.
While the entire women鈥檚 team plus a dozen other players have said they will not play again for Spain as long as Rubiales鈥 remains in charge, only one male player, Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias, has said he won鈥檛 play for his nation again until 鈥渢hings change.鈥
De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique after last year鈥檚 World Cup. He has spent the last decade of his career in the federation, working his way up from the men鈥檚 youth teams to the senior team.
His squad list for upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Georgia and Cyprus was eclipsed by his about-face on the Rubiales crisis. De la Fuente called up 16-year-old Barcelona forward for the first time, a decision that would have been bigger news if not for Rubiales.
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