Women's World Cup winner Spain refuses to play under current leadership

Spain's Women's National Team won the World Cup just a few short days ago, but its incredible achievement has been overshadowed by the behavior of its national soccer federation.

Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), made headlines at the World Cup ceremony for his inappropriate celebrations--Spanish paper AS reports that he made lewd gestures, kissed Jennifer Hermoso, a Spanish attacking midfielder, without her consent and asked to marry her in Ibiza.

To make matters worse, Rubiales and RFEF put out a statement on Hermoso's behalf stating that the kiss was 'mutual and consensual'--only for Hermoso to confirm that the statement was fake.

"At no time did I consent to the kiss he gave me," Hermoso said in a statement. "I won't tolerate that my word is called into question, and even less that words are invented which I didn't say."

As more accusations of Rubiales's inappropriate behavior flew, including reports that he misused RFEF funds to host private parties, he was widely expected to step down from his position.

But in a shocking press conference this morning, Rubiales denied all claims against him as "false feminism" and vowed to never resign. "They are trying to kill me," he said. "I will not resign. I will fight this to the end."

Spanish soccer players around the world reacted to Rubiales's statement in shock. Men's player Borja Iglesias confirmed he would not play for Spain until Rubiales departed, and a few hours later, the entire World Cup-winning Spanish women's team followed suit.

"On behalf of the [player's] union we want to emphasize that no woman should be forced to answer to this," they said. "It fills us with sadness that such an unacceptable incident is managing to tarnish the greatest sporting success of Spanish women's football."

Rubiales has yet to respond to the mass resignation of Spain's World Cup-winning team. He remains under investigation by FIFA, who accused him of "events that may violate FIFA's disciplinary code", and the Spanish government, who have begun proceedings to forcibly remove him from the federation.

The Spanish women, meanwhile, remain reigning World Cup champions.