Portugal's national football team's coach Roberto Martinez has publicly criticised the actions of Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales, who has been provisionally suspended by FIFA. Rubiales found himself embroiled in controversy for kissing a female Spain player on the lips without her consent at the Women's World Cup awards ceremony held in Sydney, Australia, on August 20. Despite this, Martinez strongly believes that the joint bid by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup should not be affected by the scandal.
“The candidacy is above any one person,” Martínez declared on Friday. He further elaborated that the joint bid was in a "very strong moment" and expressed hope that it would be successful. Rubiales was leading this tri-nation endeavor, which may also potentially include Ukraine.
Martínez took issue with Rubiales' conduct, emphasizing the significance of setting an example for society at large. "I think there are positions, public positions that are very important to set an example for other sporting institutions, and also for life in general," Martínez stated. He added, "Important public positions have great responsibility and have to set an example."
The Portugal coach made these remarks while announcing his team's lineup for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers. Star player Cristiano Ronaldo is set to continue featuring for Portugal in these matches. The Portuguese team is set to face Slovakia on September 8, followed by a home game against Luxembourg three days later.
As for the European Championship qualifiers, Portugal is currently leading Group J with 12 points. Slovakia trails close behind with 10 points, while Luxembourg holds the third position with seven points. The group is completed by Iceland, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Liechtenstein.
In conclusion, while Martínez took the opportunity to criticize the inappropriate actions of the Spanish federation's president, he also emphasized that the objective of hosting the 2030 World Cup should not be sidetracked by the actions of one individual. He believes that the joint bid remains robust and stands a good chance of success, despite the current crisis that has sent ripples through Spanish football.
(With inputs from AP, powered by AI)
