The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) saw continued growth in pay for its president and senior executives from 2018 through 2021. The federation released these figures in its annual accounts, which were published on its official site and reviewed by a major Spanish newspaper. In 2018, when Rubiales took the helm after succeeding Angel Maria Villar, the combined compensation for the president and three top executives surpassed 1.8 million euros. This spending trend persisted, peaking around 2021 with total budgeted compensation near 7 million euros. These figures cover not only fixed salaries but the full compensation packages for roles deemed essential within the federation.
The group labeled as “senior management” included Luis Rubiales, the president; Andreu Camps, the general secretary and a trusted adviser; Jose Francisco Molina, the sporting director who departed the federation in January 2023; and other senior figures linked to the men’s national team and federation leadership. The group also encompassed coaches such as Julen Lopetegui and Robert Moreno, who briefly led the national team during that period. The accounts do not provide a granular breakdown of each individual’s earnings within the top-management total.
“The Resistance Handbook 2”: What Rubiales Learned
Accounts show a notable shift in executive compensation during Rubiales’ tenure. From 2018 to 2019, pay for Rubiales and the senior leadership rose by about 80 percent, followed by a roughly 30 percent increase from 2019 to 2020. In 2021, amid the pandemic, the trend veered downward, with reductions continuing into 2022. The 2017 baseline reflected 975,000 euros allocated to Rubiales and the senior management, excluding the men’s national coach and the general secretary from that initial total. The records hint at changes in the make-up of top-management pay but stop short of a detailed distribution.
The rise in executive wages coincided with growing federation revenues. In 2018 the federation reported around 170 million euros in revenue, climbing to about 406 million euros by 2022. A contributing factor was a contract with Saudi Arabia linked to the Spanish Super Cup. In short, executive salaries rose alongside a substantial expansion in total income.
The RFEF accounts do not spell out how the millions are allocated among top staff or the exact structure of these payments. They refer to gross compensation and note that the president could receive no other personal payments from the federation beyond those recorded in the accounts.
Uncertainty remains about why the wage figure dropped 25.4 percent between 2021 and 2022. Analysts suggest possible links to bonuses paid to technical managers for milestones in European and world tournaments. For instance, Spain reached the semifinals in 2021, while the 2022 World Cup saw the team exit at the round of 16.
Salary Reforms for Rubiales
In 2022, Rubiales proposed changes to the federation’s pay framework that required parliamentary approval. A fixed salary of 160,000 euros existed, with variable elements tied to sponsorship income and performance bonuses. Parliament approved converting the 2021 total into a fixed annual amount, amounting to a gross 635,000 euros. Additional funds of 250,000 euros were requested from UEFA, reportedly related to honorary duties, though their status remains unclear.
Similarly, the compensation for the men’s national team coach, including Luis Enrique, was reported to be substantial. Negotiations in Spain pointed to a net salary near 1.5 million, with some reductions in 2020 to reflect pandemic realities. A portion of his token, about 350,000 euros, was voluntarily relinquished in 2020 to show federation solidarity during the health crisis.
Julen Lopetegui, Rubiales’ predecessor who was dismissed before the 2018 World Cup, is said to have earned a comparable gross amount in a high-level role. In 2018, the federation allocated a combined gross total of 1.8 million to top-level management, a figure that could be higher when adding fixed salaries for other leaders. The federation did not offer a detailed breakdown when questioned about the accounts.
Andreu Camps, described by the federation as Rubiales’ right-hand man and general secretary, was reported to have an annual gross around 240,000 euros. Camps played a part in shaping responses to governance questions and addressing performance concerns at various points in the federation’s history, including responses to UEFA competition considerations and internal management changes. The broader debate around governance and its implications for Spanish football sits at the heart of these discussions.
Sánchez Responds to Rubiales’ Leadership
Public conversation about Rubiales’ era also touched on how political and sports leadership reacted. Through early 2023, the only official salary clearly documented for the sports director Molina had not been fully disclosed, though media outlets discussed the figures in connection with duties and contractual arrangements. As governance evolved, questions about compensation, accountability, and transparency in the federation’s accounts continued to be debated, with various outlets examining the potential impact on Spain’s standing in European football.
Attribution: This summary reflects data and commentary reported by major Spanish outlets based on the federation’s published accounts and subsequent analyses. (Source: EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA; additional reporting from Spanish media outlines the broader governance and financial implications.)