Mateu Lahoz likely to succeed Luis Rubiales as RFEF president

Mateu Lahoz is the most likely person to succeed Luis Rubiales as RFEF president, following the latter’s resignation after kissing a player against her will.

Rubiales drew international condemnation for kissing Jenni Hermoso, one of Spain’s FIFA Women’s World Cup winning players, on the lips without her consent.

Now, the Spanish federation is looking to move on from that scandal and appoint a new president. And the Spanish media says Lahoz, a former referee, is the best positioned.

The clubs, the referee, the league, and FIFA all seem to be in tune, according to Diario MARCA, and see Lahoz as the consensus choice.

Lahoz retired at the end of last season as a ref, in a long career that saw him in charge of big games. He was a fixture in El Clásico, drawing the ire of both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona on different occasions for perceived injustices. He also reffed many UEFA Champions League matches, most notably the 2021 final.

He may have gained even more notoriety for his performance in charge of the Argentina-Netherlands quarterfinal in the most recent FIFA World Cup. Both sides complained about his decisions, and he drew poor review from neutrals and the media as well.

Still, some within Spanish football see him as a good choice to head the federation. He’s a well-known figure, he knows the federation, and he has great relationships with many people throughout the world of football.