Former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales appeared before a judge on Tuesday, where he reiterated that forward Jenni Hermoso had given her consent for the kiss he gave her during the 2023 Women’s World Cup final presentation ceremony. Rubiales is facing accusations of sexual assault and coercion for allegedly downplaying the incident, which caused an uproar in Spain and overshadowed the celebration of the team’s first World Cup victory.
Rubiales maintained, “I asked her if I could give her a little kiss, and she said ‘OK.’ I’m completely sure she gave her consent.” However, Hermoso, in her testimony last week, stated that she did not consent to the kiss.
While acknowledging the kiss was a mistake, Rubiales defended his actions by explaining that he had acted more like a former player than as the president of the Spanish soccer federation. “Hermoso knows that I asked her and that she contested me,” Rubiales added. “I apologized for my behavior, as it was not appropriate. I should have kept a cooler head, given my position, and behaved more professionally, rather than letting my emotions take over.”
Rubiales stated that Hermoso was asked to downplay the kiss because the Spanish soccer federation was facing an institutional crisis at the time, and it was common for officials to try to ease the situation. He emphasized that he never instructed anyone to pressure Hermoso into making such statements.
Rubiales claimed that at the time, Hermoso didn’t make a big fuss about the kiss. He explained that when she declined to record a video with him, they respected her decision and took alternative actions, which included issuing a statement with Hermoso’s comments to the local media.
However, Hermoso and her teammates provided a different account during their testimony, saying that Hermoso was deeply affected by the kiss and was pressured to downplay the incident.
On Tuesday, a lip-reading expert also testified, confirming that Rubiales had asked Hermoso, “Can I give you a little kiss?”
Videos were shown in court, one of which featured Hermoso celebrating and later discussing the kiss.
In a recording from an interview shortly after the World Cup final, Hermoso commented, “Nobody expected it, but I don’t care, we’re world champions, that’s what matters.” She added, “I didn’t like it, but all I can say is it was part of the moment. It won’t be anything more than that; it’ll just be an anecdote.”
When the reporter mentioned that there was a lot of buzz about the kiss in Spain, Hermoso responded, “Whoever wants to make a big deal about it will, and those who don’t, won’t. I’m very sure it won’t become a big deal, we’re the champions.”
A video also showed Rubiales telling the team that he felt “sad” about the backlash over the kiss. He apologized and expressed feeling bad that it overshadowed the celebrations. Hermoso was seen laughing in the video after his remarks.
The defense also tried to undermine the testimony of Hermoso’s brother, who had said that national team coach Jorge Vilda pressured her into recording a video with Rubiales to downplay the incident. In response, the defense showed a past interview with Hermoso’s brother, where he himself downplayed the kiss at the time to ensure that the focus remained on the team’s celebration.
The three other defendants in the case—Jorge Vilda, the former sports director of the men’s national team Albert Luque, and former head of marketing Ruben Rivera—were expected to testify on Wednesday. They face accusations of coercion.
Rubiales resigned three weeks after the scandal broke and was banned from football by FIFA for three years. He had claimed he was the target of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.”
Hermoso testified that she “felt disrespected” by Rubiales after the World Cup win, explaining that the kiss “stained one of the happiest days of my life.”
The incident sparked widespread outrage in Spain, highlighting issues of sexism in sports and society.
Prosecutors, Hermoso, and the Spain players’ association are calling for Rubiales to be sentenced to two and a half years in prison, fined 50,000 euros ($51,800) for damages, and banned from holding any sports-related position. They are also seeking a one and a half year prison sentence for the other three defendants.