We requested folks in Madrid what they considered World Cup kiss row – their response was ‘eye-opening’

The fallout from that kiss on the World Cup successful ceremony has overshadowed Spain’s win and sparked a nationwide debate.

The story has been vastly infected by the following behaviour of Luis Rubiales, the person who planted the undesirable kiss and the not too long ago suspended boss of Spanish soccer.

He’s declared himself the sufferer of a witch hunt and Spain’s FA threatened the player he kissed, Jenni Hermoso, with authorized motion for declaring the act non-consensual.

In Madrid, many individuals we spoke to assume Mr Rubiales doesn’t deserve the backlash he is acquired.

In Plaza de Santa Ana, a busy sq. within the metropolis centre the place locals and guests get pleasure from early night drinks, a bunch of younger girls didn’t wish to be recognized and had been reluctant to talk up on the story.

However they mentioned the response to Mr Rubiales and the kiss has been overblown.

We approached one other bigger group of women and men and we discovered an identical opinion amongst them.

Read extra:
Who said what in World Cup kissing row
Spanish FA calls ‘extraordinary’ meeting
Who is Luis Rubiales?

Maria Gomez was among the many group. She advised me: “It is not appropriate that he [Rubiales] has done this, but as for the reaction, it does not seem to me, that the situation is that bad.”

Her 14-year-old son Alexander Herranz agrees. He thinks Rubiales ought to face some type of sanction however should not must resign.

Their pal Vali Popa added: “I think it was exaggerated. It was just a moment of happiness and to celebrate it was nothing more than that.”

The solely dissenting voice on the desk was Astrid Guerra. When I requested her whether or not Rubiales ought to go, she gave me a one phrase reply: “Completely”.

By no means is my comparatively temporary spell in Plaza de Santa Ana a dependable illustration of the sentiment of the Spanish folks – and clearly there are various differing choices – nevertheless it was eye-opening.

Clearly this can be a divisive story and wherever it goes, folks will not have the ability to agree on what was the correct motion to take.