New Delhi: The highly anticipated trial of former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales began in Madrid on Monday, with Jenni Hermoso taking the stand as the first witness. The case centres around the kiss Rubiales gave Hermoso during Spain’s 2023 Women’s World Cup celebrations, which sparked global outrage and forced major changes in Spanish football.
Rubiales, who was the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation at the time, kissed Hermoso on the lips while the players were receiving their medals in Australia. The incident was widely criticised, leading to protests and his eventual resignation. Prosecutors accuse him of sexual assault and coercion, seeking a one-year prison sentence along with an additional 18 months for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to publicly support him.
Hermoso made it clear in court that the kiss was not consensual, stating that it stained what should have been the happiest day of her life. She described how she was approached immediately after the incident and asked to downplay it. She also revealed the pressure she faced in the following days, with Rubiales himself allegedly asking her to record a video in his defence.
Pressure and silence after the incident
The highly anticipated trial of Spain’s disgraced former football chief Luis Rubiales over the forced kiss he gave star forward Jenni Hermoso began on Monday with the player scheduled to take the stand ➡️ https://t.co/6fxxa1FU1s pic.twitter.com/xC8CgAmZzK
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 3, 2025
Hermoso testified that Rubiales grabbed her head and kissed her without consent. She felt disrespected and abandoned by the Spanish FA, as no one checked on her well-being after the incident. Her teammates initially joked about the kiss before Irene Paredes intervened, saying it was serious.
Shortly after, Hermoso was pulled aside and urged to sign a statement minimising the event, but she refused. On the flight home, Rubiales allegedly asked her to film a video defending him because he was being accused of assault online. She again refused, insisting that she was not responsible for the controversy.
The fallout from the incident deeply affected Hermoso’s life. She received death threats, which forced her to leave Madrid. She now plays club football in Mexico but continues to represent Spain’s national team.
Rubiales, who initially claimed the kiss was consensual, attacked what he called “fake feminism” before resigning. Alongside him, three former Spanish FA officials—Jorge Vilda, Rubén Rivera, and Albert Luque—are also on trial for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales.
The trial will continue until 19 February, with the football world closely watching the outcome.
Jenni Hermoso testified that Luis Rubiales’ kiss was non-consensual and stained her World Cup victory, revealing she felt pressured to defend him and abandoned by the Spanish FA after the incident. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
