Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, who co-owns a women’s soccer club in Los Angeles, praised Spain’s World Cup-winning players, saying they showed resilience against “harassment, abuse and bullying,” Reuters reported.

Their World Cup victory last month was overshadowed by anger over the behavior of Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales, who grabbed player Jenny Hermoso by the head and kissed her at an awards ceremony in Sydney.

Hermoso, who says she did not consent to the kisses, filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday over the incident, which has escalated into a national debate over women’s rights and sexist behavior. Rubiales refused to resign, saying he had done nothing wrong and was a victim of “fake feminism.”

Speaking at the European Club Association General Assembly on Thursday, Portman said other teams had to fight for equal pay in the past.

“This time, Team Spain is fighting against harassment, abuse and bullying,” said the actress, who is co-founder and co-owner of Los Angeles team Angel City.

“The resilience of these women to play at the highest level under such unfair and unfair conditions, and their ability to be activists on and off the court, is inspiring,” said Portman.

Rubiales could face criminal charges in addition to an ongoing investigation by Spain’s sports tribunal into serious misconduct, while FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales, who has been suspended from national and international football for three months pending the outcome of the investigation.