World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso has told the trial of Luis Rubiales she “never” agreed to the former Spanish football chief kissing her on the lips.
Rubiales is on trial in Madrid for kissing Hermoso after Spain won the Women’s World Cup.
The 47-year-old is accused of sexual assault and of then attempting to coerce Hermoso into declaring the kiss had been consensual. He denies the charges.
Hermoso, 34, who is Spain’s all-time top goalscorer, told Madrid’s High Court on Monday she “never” agreed to the kiss.
Luis Rubiales arrives at court on Monday. Pic: Reuters
“I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she added. “The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.”
Former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, former Spanish football federation sporting director Albert Luque and the organisation’s ex-head of marketing Ruben Rivera are also going on trial accused of putting pressure on Hermoso.
Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips as players collected their medals after Spain had beaten England 1-0 in the final in Sydney in August 2023.
Jenni Hermoso heads into the court in Madrid. Pic: Reuters
He lost his job after initially refusing to resign and in October 2023 was banned from all football-related activities for three years by world governing body FIFA.
The fallout from the incident led to a boycott by Spanish players of both the women’s and men’s national teams, while the case sparked protests in Spain and beyond demanding “a sport free of sexist violence”.
File pic: Zuma Press/Alamy
Prosecutors say Hermoso was pulled aside on the bus to the airport and asked to approve a statement in her name downplaying the incident, which she says she refused to do.
The prosecution also says Vilda warned Hermoso’s brother that his sister’s football career would suffer if she did not agree to record a video backing Rubiales’ claim the kiss was consensual.
Rubiales initially called his critics “idiots” before later apologising, saying the brief kiss was “without bad faith at a time of maximum effusiveness”.
Rubiales and his co-defendants are expected to testify later in the trial once the court has interviewed the other witnesses.
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He has called his daughters to testify while several of Hermoso’s Spanish teammates will also provide evidence.
The prosecution wants Rubiales jailed for more than two years.
In Spain, people handed sentences of less than two years can avoid jail if they pay damages.
