‘I felt disrespected’: Hermoso on World Cup kiss from former Spain football boss Rubiales

On first day of a sex assault trial in Madrid, Jenni Hermoso also said she felt coerced to exonerate Rubiales after 2023 incident in Sydney

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Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation, kisses forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s 1-0 victory over England in the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney, Australia on August 20, 2023. Photo: Handout

Published: 2:16am, 4 Feb 2025Updated: 8:23am, 4 Feb 2025

Spain forward Jenni Hermoso testified at Luis Rubiales’ trial on Monday that she did not consent to being kissed by the country’s former top football official after winning the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

On the first day of Rubiales’ trial, Hermoso also said she felt coerced to publicly exonerate the former president of Spain’s Football Federation after the incident in Sydney.

“I felt disrespected,” Hermoso said. It “stained one of the happiest days of my life”.

When Rubiales kissed her at the Women’s World Cup final presentation ceremony, it sparked outrage in Spain about the prevalence of sexism in sports and beyond.

The 47-year-old Rubiales, sat in Madrid’s High Court, is accused of sexual assault and of trying to coerce Hermoso, alongside others, to publicly support him.

Rubiales has denied the charges, claiming the kiss was consensual and happened in a “moment of jubilation”. Facing immense pressure, he resigned three weeks later and was banned by Fifa for three years. Rubiales had said he was the victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists”.