Jenni Hermoso spoke her truth on what should have been the happiest day of her career, but instead, an entire institution tried to force her to retract it.
On August 20, 2023, during the Women's World Cup medal ceremony, Luis Rubiales — who was the president of Spain's football federation at the time — kissed Hermoso on the lips without her consent, right in front of cameras, her teammates, and a worldwide audience. She immediately stated that the kiss was not consensual. What followed was far from an apology. Instead, it turned into a campaign: the federation rallied behind him, his supporters labeled her a liar, his mother even went on a hunger strike, and death threats began to flood in.
Through it all, she stood her ground and never wavered in her account. In February 2025, a Spanish court found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault, clearly stating that a kiss without consent is, without a doubt, sexual assault.
I felt the victim of aggression, a sexist act
jenni hermoso, the guardian, 2023
The Kiss — What Happened in Sydney
To understand everything that followed, you have to start with the exact moment that set it all in motion — a moment that was captured on live television and watched by millions.
Spain's Historic Victory
On August 20, 2023, Spain's women's national team made history by beating England 2-1 to clinch their very first Women's World Cup title. This was a monumental achievement for a team that had tirelessly battled for recognition and support over the years. It should have been the crowning moment of these players' careers.
The Medal Ceremony
At the medal ceremony in Sydney, the Spanish players stood in line, ready to receive their gold medals and warm congratulations from a receiving line that featured Luis Rubiales, who was the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) at the time. When he got to Jenni Hermoso, Rubiales embraced her tightly and leaned in to give her a firm kiss on the lips. While he had greeted other teammates with hugs and kisses on the cheek, Hermoso's welcome was something else entirely.
Hermoso's Immediate Response
During an Instagram livestream right after the ceremony, Hermoso expressed her discomfort about being kissed by the federation chief. She later shared, "I felt it was completely inappropriate, and I realized my boss was kissing me, which shouldn't happen in any social or workplace environment." She didn't hold back or wait for days or weeks to voice her concerns; she spoke up just hours later, publicly, on the very same day her team had celebrated their World Cup victory.
Rubiales's Initial Response
Rubiales started off by apologizing to "those who were offended," but then changed his tune, calling the kiss "spontaneous, mutual, euphoric, and consensual," and he stood firm on not resigning. Hermoso completely disagreed with his version of events, stating in a statement that she felt "vulnerable and like a victim of aggression, describing it as an impulsive, sexist act that was completely out of line and without any consent from me."
The Institutional Backlash — What Happened Next
What followed the kiss was not an investigation into what Hermoso had experienced. It was, by multiple documented accounts, a coordinated effort to protect the man responsible.
The Federation Closes Ranks
Instead of looking into Hermoso's account, the Spanish football federation put out a statement on her behalf without even asking for her permission. Hermoso expressed that this made her feel like she was being dragged into something she hadn’t done and didn’t want to be a part of. In court, her brother Rafael shared that during the flight back from Australia, then-head coach Jorge Vilda had asked him to "convince" his sister to film a video with Rubiales, showing that she wasn’t upset about the kiss.
His Mother's Hunger Strike
On August 28, 2023, Rubiales's mother, Ángeles Béjar, took a dramatic stand by locking herself inside the Divina Pastora church in her hometown of Motril. She declared a hunger strike, vowing to continue until what she called the "inhuman, bloodthirsty witch hunt" against her son came to a halt. She passionately stated, "My son is incapable of hurting anyone," and directly called on Hermoso to "stick to the version she gave at the beginning." Unfortunately, just a few days later, Béjar was hospitalized due to feeling "anguished and dizzy," along with experiencing heart irregularities. She was eventually discharged after her son urged her to leave the church for her well-being.
Death Threats and a Team's Boycott
During this challenging time, Hermoso faced death threats that took a toll on her well-being. Her teammates shared that the chaos left her feeling emotionally drained, describing her as "overwhelmed, crying, and exhausted" in the aftermath. The players from Spain made it clear that they wouldn't represent the national team as long as Rubiales was at the helm. One of the key changes they pushed for before returning was the removal of the term "women's" from the team's official name, which would now simply be known as "Spain's national soccer team."
Rubiales Resigns — But the Fight Wasn't Over
Public and institutional pressure eventually forced Rubiales out of his position — but his resignation was far from the end of the story, and far from real accountability on its own.
FIFA Suspends Him
FIFA has put Rubiales on a provisional suspension for 90 days, preventing him from participating in any football-related activities. This decision comes after they determined he breached the disciplinary code by engaging in offensive behavior as an official. Additionally, Spain's government sports authority has stepped in, prohibiting him from taking on any sports management role for the next three years.
Resignation, Nearly Three Weeks Later
Nearly three weeks after that infamous kiss, Rubiales stepped down as the president of the RFEF, citing that he just couldn't carry on with his duties amid all the pressure and criticism. Following that, FIFA handed him a three-year ban from all soccer-related activities, which will come to an end in 2026.
A Criminal Complaint Follows
Resignation didn’t equate to accountability in a legal context; it merely marked the conclusion of his job. Meanwhile, Spanish prosecutors launched their own investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse, and Hermoso took the step of filing a formal criminal complaint. She chose to pursue the issue through the courts instead of letting it fade away with Rubiales simply stepping down. This was the turning point where the situation transitioned from a media scandal to a serious criminal case with real legal implications at stake.
Hermoso's Life "On Standby"
Opening up about the impact of her experience, Hermoso shared, "I haven't been able to truly live freely." She went on to play professionally for Tigres in Mexico's Liga MX Femenil, where she found some solace from the spotlight. However, she mentioned that this sense of relief vanished as soon as she returned to Madrid.
The Trial and the Verdict
More than a year after the kiss, the case reached Spain's National Court — where Hermoso, having never wavered from her account, testified directly in front of the man she had accused.
Hermoso's Testimony
When she took the stand, Hermoso firmly stated that she had never given her consent to be kissed, emphasizing that Rubiales hadn't asked for her permission. She shared that the whole incident and what followed had "tainted one of the happiest days of my life."
Rubiales's Defense
Rubiales admitted in court that he had made "an error of judgment," but he insisted that the kiss was consensual. He said, "It's clear to me now that I messed up. It was a spontaneous moment. I acted like a sportsperson, as if I were just another member of the team. I should have kept my cool and taken on a more professional role."
The Verdict
On February 20, 2025, Judge José Manuel Clemente Fernández-Prieto made a significant ruling, stating that Rubiales had sexually assaulted Hermoso by "grabbing the player's head with both hands and then, in a sudden move and without her consent, kissing her on the lips." The judge was clear in his assessment: "This act of kissing a woman on the lips carries a distinct sexual implication and is not how people typically greet those they don't share an emotional bond with." He pointed out that Rubiales had welcomed other players with hugs and cheek kisses, highlighting that Hermoso was treated differently. The judge found no reason to doubt her honesty, especially considering their previously positive professional relationship.
The Sentence — and What It Did Not Include
Even though prosecutors were pushing for a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, the court decided to impose a hefty fine of over €10,000, which breaks down to an 18-month fine at €20 a day. Additionally, a restraining order was put in place, preventing Rubiales from getting within 200 meters of Hermoso or contacting her for a year. The judge characterized the assault as "always reproachable" but noted it was of "minor intensity," since it was just a kiss and not an act of violence or intimidation. This meant Rubiales managed to dodge prison time altogether. He was also acquitted of a separate coercion charge, along with three co-defendants — Jorge Vilda, Albert Luque, and Rubén Rivera — who were accused of pressuring Hermoso to downplay the incident publicly. Rubiales has stated that he plans to appeal the decision.
What the Verdict Means — And What Comes Next
The guilty verdict closed one chapter of the case. It did not resolve every open question — legally, institutionally, or in terms of what accountability actually looked like in the end.
A Verdict With National Significance
Spain's equality minister, Ana Redondo, expressed her support for the ruling, stating, "It's crucial to emphasize that a kiss without consent is a form of sexual assault... We must listen to and respect the voices of victims, rather than questioning them." The Association of Spanish Footballers, which took on the role of a private prosecutor in this case, described the ruling as "a major advancement in the protection of women's rights and the ongoing battle for a sport that is free from abuse and inequality." They added, "When consent is absent, it constitutes assault, and that's exactly what the judge confirms in this ruling."
Criticism That the Punishment Was Too Light
Not everyone is satisfied with the outcome. Podemos MEP and former equality minister Irene Montero expressed support for the legal recognition but insisted that the fines and compensation "should have been higher." She pointed out, "It wasn't too long ago that the judicial system would have found it unthinkable to classify a non-consensual kiss as sexual assault." For many observers, the lingering gap between a guilty verdict and a real custodial sentence highlights the unresolved tension at the heart of this case's conclusion.
The Appeal
Rubiales has confirmed to Reuters that he plans to appeal, stating, "I am going to keep fighting." The ruling can be taken to the Criminal Division of the National Court, which means the case isn't entirely wrapped up even after the 2025 verdict. Hermoso's lawyer mentioned that it will ultimately be up to her to decide if she wants to "keep up the fight" in any additional proceedings.
What Hermoso's Case Represents
Hermoso's steadfastness in sticking to her story — despite the pressure from a federation, her mother's public hunger strike, direct appeals from her former coach, and even death threats — became a pivotal point that the Spanish legal system had to confront over the course of eighteen months. This case didn't just result in a verdict against one individual; it also established, as noted by Spain's Association of Footballers, a significant legal precedent: that consent cannot be taken for granted, that no one is above the law due to their public status, and that a woman's consistent account of an assault can hold more weight than an institution's efforts to alter the narrative.
Sources
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxq97w21gno
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/20/luis-rubiales-verdict-spanish-footballer-jenni-hermoso
