The Rubiales affair refers to the fallout, both social and sporting, caused by the conduct of Luis Rubiales, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), beginning in August 2023. Having acted inappropriately during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final on 20 August 2023, Rubiales' response to the criticism of his conduct was deemed to become worse in the days following the tournament, and to have exacerbated the controversy. After an erratic speech he made on 25 August 2023, the entire Spain women's national football team withdrew from selection and several RFEF staff resigned; Rubiales was soon suspended from all football by FIFA.

Alèxia Putellas i Segura, Spanish: Alexia Putellas Segura; born 4 February 1994), often known mononymously as Alexia, is a Spanish professional footballer from Catalonia who plays as a midfielder or forward for Liga F club Barcelona and the Spain women's national team, both of which she captains. She previously played for Espanyol and Levante, and has represented Catalonia. Having won all major club and individual awards available to a European player by 2022, she is widely regarded as one of the best female footballers of her generation, and one of the greatest of all time. In 2022, women's football reporter Asif Burhan wrote that Putellas' "dedication to the sport has revolutionized the women's game."