After the controversy on social media grew, Spanish soccer player Jennifer Hermoso recounted that Luis Rubiales asked her to help put an end to the matter with a statement, which she refused. "He told me that there was a lot of talk on social media and that we could stop it now. I greeted the Queen and her daughter, and the next thing was to meet with Luis Rubiales. He mentioned that he had a girlfriend and that she was not bothered by it. Implying it was not a big deal," she revealed.
The trial against Luis Rubiales, former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), began on February 3, and soccer player Jennifer Hermoso stated that she never consented to the executive kissing her on the mouth, which she considered a "disrespect." At the awards ceremony of the Women's World Cup that Spain won in 2023, Hermoso recounted that Rubiales kissed her without her consent, ruining one of the happiest days of her life. Before the deputy prosecutor of the National Court, Marta Durántez, the soccer player claimed that she felt disrespected and never authorized the kiss.
Hermoso emphasized that after the incident, the press office of the Federation approached her with a statement that she "supposedly" had written to stop the matter. In the trial, the player and the Association of Spanish Footballers are seeking a sentence of two and a half years in prison for Rubiales, a fine of 50,000 euros, and a lifetime ban from any executive role in sports. For their part, court officials indicate that Rubiales could face a sentence of between one and four years in prison, in addition to a financial fine.
