Former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has said in court that he was 'totally sure' that player Jenni Hermoso consented to him kissing her after her team won the World Cup in 2023. Rubiales told Spain's National Court that at the 2023 women's World Cup final medal ceremony he asked Hermoso 'if I can give you a kiss, and she said 'OK', that's what happened'. Hermoso earlier told the court that she 'never' agreed to kiss Rubiales, who was the head of the Spanish Football Association at the time.
Prosecutors are seeking two and a half years in prison against Rubiales for sexual assault for the forced kiss and allegedly coercing Hermoso to downplay the incident. While Rubiales has denied that what he had done was illegal or immoral, the football boss admitted that it had been a mistake. 'It was a mistake, I was the president of the federation and from the outset I recognised it was a mistake,' he said.
'I acted like an athlete who was a member of the group and I should have adopted a more institutional role.'. 'But that's not what you said to the press is it?' the prosecutor pressed him, adding that he 'didn't look remorseful or upset'. Rubiales admitted he had not said that to the press at the time but defended himself saying he had been focussing on the breaking news of the death of one of the players' fathers.
