Luis Rubiales was arrested as part of a corruption investigation while he was president of the Spanish Football Federation.
The 46-year-old was arrested by police at Madrid airport on Wednesday morning and chased off the runway upon his return from the Caribbean.
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Rubiales, who resigned from his position after being criticized for kissing Spanish World Cup star Jenni Hermoso without her consent, was placed in Civil Guard custody upon his arrival.
His alleged corruption charges have nothing to do with the “Kissgate scandal”, which earned him a three-year ban from football.
It is understood he will be summoned to court as part of the corruption investigation, where he will be questioned over the £104million deal to host the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
The competition was first held in the Gulf countries in 2020, and was hosted there again in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
He will now be questioned in the next 72 hours to find out if he received illegal commissions during the negotiations.
Rubiales denies any wrongdoing.
His home in Granada and the headquarters of the Spanish Federation were raided last month while he was in the Dominican Republic.
Spanish media were present at Madrid airport when Rubiales got off the plane, where he was then escorted into a black van.
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A television interview with journalist Ana Pastor will be broadcast on Wednesday evening, in which she insists that she has not embezzled money from the Spanish Federation.
He said: “My money is the product of my work and my savings. »
Rubiales is also expected to face trial in the future on charges of sexual assault and coercion after kissing Hermoso following Spain’s victory over England in the World Cup final in August.
Prosecutors are seeking a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for Rubiales, who has denied the charges.
Hermoso then hit Rubiales with a restraining order following the incident.
After his resignation, Rubiales took to social media where he vowed to clear his name and reputation.
He posted on X: “I will defend my honor. I will defend my innocence.
“I have confidence in the future. I have faith in the truth. Thank you everyone.”
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