Luis Manuel Rubiales Béjar, better known as Luis Rubiales, is a former Spanish football referee and professional player. He played as a defender, appearing in 53 La Liga matches over three seasons.
Rubiales is the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and one of the vice-presidents of UEFA. In this role, he oversees the governance and administration of Spanish football at the highest level.
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- Full name: Luis Manuel Rubiales Béjar
- Stage name: Luis Rubiales
- Date of birth: August 23, 1977
- Age: 46 years old
- Place of birth: Las Palmas, Spain
- Nationality: Spanish
- Occupation: Former President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation
- Height: 1.8 m
- Parents: Luis Manuel Rubiales López and Ángele Béjar
- Siblings: Unknown
- Spouse: Manuela Delicado Vega (m. 2000–2015)
- Children: Lucía, Ana and Elena
- Relationship: Single
- Net worth: Unknown
Early life and education
Luis Manuel Rubiales Béjar was born on August 23, 1977 in Las Palmas, Spain. He was raised by his parents, Luis Manuel Rubiales López, a primary school teacher, and Ángeles Béjar, a hairdresser. Rubiales grew up in Motril, Granada Province, although it is unknown whether he has any siblings.
In 2014, Rubiales enrolled at CEU Cardinal Herrera University, a private university in Alfara del Patriarca, Spain. He then continued his studies at Camilo Jose Cela University, another private university, in Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain. Rubiales is of Spanish ethnicity and is a Christian.
Career
Luis Rubiales spent his professional career as a defender, making over 50 appearances in La Liga for Levante as well as playing in the Segunda División for various Spanish clubs and a brief spell for Hamilton Academical in Scotland.
In March 2010, Rubiales was elected president of the Spanish Football Players’ Association (AFE), a position he held until November 2017 when he resigned with the intention of running for the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Rubiales was elected president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation in 2018, overseeing both the men’s and women’s national teams as well as the Spanish football leagues. He also serves as a UEFA vice-president.
In September 2023, Rubiales resigned as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation following a scandal at the Women’s World Cup final where he kissed player Jennifer Hermoso without her consent. As a result, he was subsequently banned from all football activities for a period of three years.
Social media
- Instagram Name: @rubiales3
- Twitter Username: @LuisRubiales17
Personal life
Luis Rubiales was previously married to a lawyer named Manuela Delicado Vega. They married in 2000 and had three daughters together: Lucía, Ana, and Elena. However, Rubiales and Delicado Vega later separated and divorced in 2015. Currently, Rubiales is said to be single.
Net worth
Luis Rubiales’ exact net worth is unknown, but is estimated to be in the millions of euros. He earned a high salary as president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), reportedly earning around €634,518.19 in 2021.
However, his salary and other benefits were cut following controversy surrounding his kiss with Jennifer Hermoso during the Women’s World Cup final.
