Jenni Hermoso has told the trial of Spain’s former football chief Luis Rubiales that the kiss he gave her at the 2023 World Cup „stained one of the happiest days of my life”. The Spanish world champion footballer was the first witness in Rubiales’ trial over the kiss, where he is accused of sexual assault and coercion. She told the court in Madrid: „My boss was kissing me, and this shouldn’t happen in any social or work setting.” Rubiales sparked major controversy when he kissed the athlete on the lips during the medal ceremony for the side’s World Cup victory in Australia, triggering protests and calls for his resignation. He denies any wrongdoing. Hermoso told the court that she had never given permission to be kissed and felt „disrespected” as a woman. „I greeted the queen, I greeted her daughter. The next thing was meeting Rubiales.” Hermoso said she and the then-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation hugged and celebrated. „The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.” „I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she said. She went on: „A kiss on the lips is only given when I decide so”. „No one came to ask me how I was” after the kiss, she told the trial on Monday. The footballer said she felt „completely abandoned by the federation”. She continued to celebrate „the greatest achievement” of her life with her teammates, Hermoso explained. „There was no place for me to be crying or lying in the corner of the dressing room.” The other players initially made fun of the incident before one, Irene Paredes, intervened to say: „Stop, this is serious.” Hermoso said she was pulled aside soon after the kiss and asked to consent to a statement minimising the incident, which she refused to do. She added that Rubiales asked her to record a video with him on the flight home because he was being accused of assault on social media. „I said no, that I was not going to do anything, that I was not the cause of this.” She said people were huddled around Rubiales during the flight, and that she saw his daughters crying. The footballer said her life had been „on stand-by” until the trial began on Monday. She said she had received death threats that prompted her to leave Madrid with her family. She now plays club football in Mexico, as well as for Spain’s national team. Prosecutors are calling for Rubiales, 47, to receive a one-year prison sentence for sexual assault. They are also calling for him to be given a sentence of a year-and-a-half for coercion, for allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual. Rubiales denies the charges. At the time, Rubiales said the kiss had been consensual and denounced a so-called witch-hunt by „fake feminism,” before resigning from his position. Three of his former colleagues are also on trial accused of coercing Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual. Jorge Vilda, coach of the World Cup-winning side, Rubén Rivera, the federation’s former head of marketing, and former sporting director, Albert Luque all deny the charges. The trial runs until 19 February. An autopsy carried out shows John George was stabbed and shot, according to the family’s solicitor. Officials say 10 people were taken to hospital after a chairlift failed at the Astún resort in the Spanish Pyrenees. At least 10 people have been injured when a ski lift failed in northern Spain. The measure is meant to help tackle the country’s housing crisis, the prime minister said. John George, 37, was last in touch with his family on 14 December when he drove from Alicante to Benidorm. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Jenni Hermoso has told the trial of Spain’s former football chief Luis Rubiales that the kiss he gave her at the 2023 World Cup „stained one of the happiest days of my life”. The Spanish world champion footballer was the first witness in Rubiales’ trial over the kiss, where he is accused of sexual assault and coercion. She told the court in Madrid: „My boss was kissing me, and this shouldn’t happen in any social or work setting.” Rubiales sparked major controversy when he kissed the athlete on the lips during the medal ceremony for the side’s World Cup victory in Australia, triggering protests and calls for his resignation. He denies any wrongdoing. Hermoso told the court that she had never given permission to be kissed and felt „disrespected” as a woman. „I greeted the queen, I greeted her daughter. The next thing was meeting Rubiales.” Hermoso said she and the then-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation hugged and celebrated. „The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.” „I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she said. She went on: „A kiss on the lips is only given when I decide so”. „No one came to ask me how I was” after the kiss, she told the trial on Monday. The footballer said she felt „completely abandoned by the federation”. She continued to celebrate „the greatest achievement” of her life with her teammates, Hermoso explained. „There was no place for me to be crying or lying in the corner of the dressing room.” The other players initially made fun of the incident before one, Irene Paredes, intervened to say: „Stop, this is serious.” Hermoso said she was pulled aside soon after the kiss and asked to consent to a statement minimising the incident, which she refused to do. She added that Rubiales asked her to record a video with him on the flight home because he was being accused of assault on social media. „I said no, that I was not going to do anything, that I was not the cause of this.” She said people were huddled around Rubiales during the flight, and that she saw his daughters crying. The footballer said her life had been „on stand-by” until the trial began on Monday. She said she had received death threats that prompted her to leave Madrid with her family. She now plays club football in Mexico, as well as for Spain’s national team. Prosecutors are calling for Rubiales, 47, to receive a one-year prison sentence for sexual assault. They are also calling for him to be given a sentence of a year-and-a-half for coercion, for allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual. Rubiales denies the charges. At the time, Rubiales said the kiss had been consensual and denounced a so-called witch-hunt by „fake feminism,” before resigning from his position. Three of his former colleagues are also on trial accused of coercing Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual. Jorge Vilda, coach of the World Cup-winning side, Rubén Rivera, the federation’s former head of marketing, and former sporting director, Albert Luque all deny the charges. The trial runs until 19 February. An autopsy carried out shows John George was stabbed and shot, according to the family’s solicitor. Officials say 10 people were taken to hospital after a chairlift failed at the Astún resort in the Spanish Pyrenees. At least 10 people have been injured when a ski lift failed in northern Spain. The measure is meant to help tackle the country’s housing crisis, the prime minister said. John George, 37, was last in touch with his family on 14 December when he drove from Alicante to Benidorm. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Soccer player Jenni Hermoso leaves after testifying at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on her. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Soccer player Jenni Hermoso leaves after testifying at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on her. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Soccer player Jenni Hermoso leaves after testifying at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on her. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) The former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales, top, leaves a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 where he is on trial for his unsolicited kiss on forward Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) The former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales, centre, leaves a court with his lawyer Olga Tubau on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 where he is on trial for his unsolicited kiss on forward Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) The former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales sits in a courtroom on the outskirts of Madrid, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 where he goes on trial for his unsolicited kiss on forward Jenni Hermoso. (Chema Moya, Pool photo via AP) Soccer player Jenni Hermoso arrives at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 to appear as a witness during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Soccer player Jenni Hermoso arrives at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 to appear as a witness during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Soccer player Jenni Hermoso arrives at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 to appear as a witness during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) The former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales, left, enters a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 where he goes on trial for his unsolicited kiss on forward Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Former coach of the women’s national soccer team Jorge Vilda arrives at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 to appear as a witness during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on foreword Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Former coach of the women’s national soccer team Jorge Vilda arrives at a court on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Monday Feb. 3, 2025 to appear as a witness during the trial of former president of Spain’s soccer federation Luis Rubiales for his unsolicited kiss on foreword Jenni Hermoso. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) MADRID (AP) — When the former president of Spain’s Football Federation kissed a player from the national team who had just won the 2023 Women’s World Cup, it sparked widespread outrage in Spain about sexism in sports and beyond. On Monday, women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso testified at the trial of Luis Rubiales that she did not consent to the kiss and that she felt coerced to publicly exonerate him after the incident. “I felt disrespected,” Hermoso said. “I think it was a moment that stained one of the happiest days of my life.” The 47-year-old Rubiales, who sat nearby at Madrid’s High Court, is accused of sexual assault and of trying to coerce Hermoso, alongside others, to publicly support him. Rubiales has denied the charges, claiming the kiss was consensual and happened in a “moment of jubilation.” Facing immense pressure, he resigned in 2023 and was banned by FIFA for three years. Rubiales had said he was the victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.” Prosecutors, Hermoso and Spain’s players’ association want a prison sentence of two-and-a-half years for Rubiales, a payment of 50,000 euros ($51,800) for damages and for him to be banned from working as a sports official. When asked if at any point Rubiales had asked Hermoso if he could kiss her, the Spain forward said no. “I didn’t hear or understand anything,” Hermoso said. “The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.” Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty, according to court officials. Hermoso had celebrated with her teammates after the kiss at the World Cup awards ceremony in Australia. When asked about those champagne-fueled celebrations on Monday, Hermoso said she chose to celebrate her team’s victory like any footballer would. “For me, it was important to be able to celebrate this moment,” she said. The trial is expected to last at least 10 days. Among the nearly 20 witnesses expected to testify are Spain’s men’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente and some of Hermoso’s teammates on the women’s team, including former world player of the year Alexia Putellas. Rubiales is required to attend only the first and the last day, according to the court. Also on trial are Spain’s former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, former sports director of Spain’s men’s team Albert Luque, and the federation’s former head of marketing, Rubén Rivera. They are accused of allegedly pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales publicly in a statement after the incident, which she refused to do. Hermoso said that after the incident and ensuing controversy, her life had been put on standby. She said she was able to escape the spotlight that she was thrust into after the incident in Mexico, where she plays for a club team. The incident overshadowed Spain’s first women’s World Cup victory, triggering protests and widespread condemnation. “I have not been able to really live freely,” she told the court. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Spain’s women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso has testified against the former Spanish soccer federation president MADRID — When the former president of Spain’s Football Federation kissed a player from the national team who had just won the 2023 Women’s World Cup, it sparked widespread outrage in Spain about sexism in sports and beyond. On Monday, women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso testified at the trial of Luis Rubiales that she did not consent to the kiss and that she felt coerced to publicly exonerate him after the incident. “I felt disrespected,” Hermoso said. “I think it was a moment that stained one of the happiest days of my life.” The 47-year-old Rubiales, who sat nearby at Madrid’s High Court, is accused of sexual assault and of trying to coerce Hermoso, alongside others, to publicly support him. Rubiales has denied the charges, but was forced to resign and was banned by FIFA for three years. He had said he was the victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists” and that the kiss was consensual. Prosecutors, Hermoso and Spain’s players’ association want a prison sentence of two-and-a-half years for Rubiales, a payment of 50,000 euros ($51,800) for damages and for him to be banned from working as a sports official. When asked if at any point Rubiales had asked Hermoso if he could kiss her, the Spain forward said no. “I didn’t hear or understand anything,” Hermoso said. “The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.” Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty, according to court officials. The trial is expected to last at least 10 days. Among the nearly 20 witnesses expected to testify are Spain’s men’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente and some of Hermoso’s teammates on the women’s team, including former world player of the year Alexia Putellas. Rubiales is required to attend only the first and the last day, according to the court. Also on trial are Spain’s former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, former sports director of Spain’s men’s team Albert Luque, and the federation’s former head of marketing, Rubén Rivera. They are accused of allegedly pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales publicly in a statement after the incident, which she refused to do. Hermoso said that after the incident and ensuing controversy, her life had been put on standby. “I have not been able to really live freely,” she told the court. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events
