Spain's Jenni Hermoso says Luis Rubiales kiss tarnished her image

10 October 2023 , 18:56

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Jenni Hermoso has spoken out on the incident for the first time (Image: Getty Images)

Spain's Jenni Hermoso has claimed that her image has been tarnished following the unsolicited kiss from former president Luis Rubiales, with the striker adding that "no one protected me".

Spanish football descended into chaos after the former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) chief was seen kissing Hermoso on the lips as the women's national team collected their historic winners' medals after their 1-0 victory over England in the Women's World Cup.

Rubiales, who stepped down from his position as RFEF chief in September is facing a charge of sexual assault over the kiss and a charge of coercion over allegations that he subsequently pressured Hermoso and her family to defend him.

Earlier this month, Rubiales continued to plead his innocence in Spain's National Court amid the ongoing probe over his kiss with Hermoso, insisting it was consensual.

However, in a statement recorded in the prosecutors' office early in September and broadcast by commercial channel Telecinco on Monday, Hermoso said that her image has been tarnished and that she "clearly felt disrespected" as a player and a person. "As an employee of that federation, no one protected me," she said.

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The statement represents the first time Hermoso's account of the events that followed the Women's World Cup final has been heard in her own words.

Hermoso, 33, described hugging Rubiales and telling him: "We've done it", with Rubiales owing the victory to her, putting his hands on her head and kissing her on the lips. She said she remembers nothing else.

"I didn't expect it," she said in her statement. "I didn't do anything to land myself in that situation... how could I expect it in that scenario of a medal ceremony at a World Cup final?"

Former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales (L) and lawyer Olga Tubau (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)

While attempting to describe the pressure felt and "having to leave Madrid so as to avoid that pressure", the striker broke down. Hermoso recalled immediately telling Spanish teammates Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes what had happened at Stadium Australia, but that she had been careful to avoid doing anything to steal the limelight.

She then alleges that before the team left the stadium, she was approached by RFEF officials and implored to sign a press statement for the world's media indicating the kiss was mutual. "I didn't say a single word of that text," she claims. "I felt coerced again."

Hermoso was queried on a video that later surfaced in which her teammates are seemingly joking about the kiss. The footballer replied that she could not have left to "start crying in the corner" in fear of ruining the celebrations.

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The 33-year-old also alleges that Rubiales had approached her on the plane home and beseeched her to appear in a video with him, for the sake of his two daughters who were crying.

Monday night's broadcast arrived hours before former Spain manager Jorge Vilda appeared before a judge investigating his role in any alleged coercion towards Hermoso.

Vilda denied seeking to coerce Hermoso, adding that he also did not see the kiss due to his being in the back of the line when receiving the winners' medals. However, Vilda admitted to speaking to Hermoso's brother on the flight home from Sydney to Madrid upon realising the striker's distress.

Megan Feringa