Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales found himself at the centre of yet another extraordinary scene on Thursday when his own uncle hurled eggs at him during a book launch event in Madrid — a bizarre twist in the already turbulent public life of the 48-year-old former administrator.
Rubiales was unveiling his new book, Matar a Rubiales (Killing Rubiales), at the Espacio Eventize media hall when a man suddenly stood up and began flinging eggs toward the stage, sending the room into shock. Security immediately intervened, but the incident left the audience stunned.
Speaking to Radio MARCA after the attack, Rubiales revealed that the assailant was not a protester or stranger, but his own uncle.
“It was my uncle, my blood uncle, who is a troublemaker and always has been,” Rubiales said. “He came in with some eggs and threw them at me. I didn’t know what he was holding at first. When I saw him rush in, I genuinely thought he was carrying a gun.”
The incident adds yet another dramatic chapter to Luis Rubiales’ controversial recent past. Earlier this year, Spain’s High Court found him guilty of sexual assault for forcibly kissing national team forward Jenni Hermoso during the celebrations of Spain’s 2023 Women’s World Cup triumph in Sydney.
The ruling resulted in a fine of more than €10,000 and a three-year ban imposed by FIFA, sparking outrage across Spain and prompting widespread conversations about misogyny in the country’s sporting structures.
For Luis Rubiales, already battling immense public scrutiny, Thursday’s chaotic scenes underscore just how far-reaching the turmoil around him has become, even spilling over into his own family.
