Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales refused to resign on Friday after a week of heavy criticism for his unsolicited kiss on the lips of female player Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s Women’s World Cup final triumph over England.

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“I will not resign, I will not resign, I will not resign,” shouted Rubiales at an emergency meeting of the football federation.

“A consensual ‘peck’ is enough to get me out of here? I will fight until the end,” he added.

Rubiales, 46, was expected to step down as president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) after government ministers and figures within sport demanded his resignation and world football governing body Fifa opened disciplinary proceedings against him – but instead launched a ferocious defence of his behaviour.

Rubiales said: “This is the body that elected me and the body to which I must give explanations. I want to apologise for an event that occurred in the box [the crotch-grabbing]. I am going to explain it by looking at Jorge Vilda [Spain women’s head coach, who was seen applauding Rubiales’s decision].

“We have been through a lot, they have wanted to do to you the same thing that they are doing to me know, they are trying to create a false speech and turn it against you.

“I was very moved when after winning the World Cup you turned around and dedicated it to me. There I made the gesture. I apologise to Her Majesty the Queen, I have never behaved like this in a box.”

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