In August 2023, when Olga Carmona’s goal helped Spain win the Women’s World Cup, it was supposed to be the happiest day in the lives of the players representing Las Rojas, and also millions of Spaniards back home who had just tasted victory on the world stage for the first time in 13 years.
Sadly, Luis Rubiales made sure to spoil that evening single-handedly.
When the jubilant players, full of smiles, walked up to the podium to shake hands and collect their winners’ medals, the former RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) chief decided to grab striker Jennifer Hermoso and kiss her on her lips.
Hermoso smiled it off, and Rubiales looked unbothered as the world watched on in horror. What had just happened? Did a man just kiss a woman – he seems to have no apparent relationship outside of football – on the lips on live television with millions watching all around the world?
Absolutely shocking.
Luis Rubiales arrives at Madrid’s National High Court after being accused of sexual assault.
Widespread outrage was sparked when Rubiales allegedly kissed Jenni Hermoso without consent after Spain won the Women’s World Cup final in 2023. pic.twitter.com/lxNk8PxLl8
— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 3, 2025
And that wasn’t all, Rubiales was already in hot water with the press because of his actions in the presence of Queen Letizia and Princess Sofia. He was spotted grabbing his p*nis.
Jeni Hermoso, later in an Instagram live, admitted that the kiss was not consensual, and allegedly, Rubiales had come into the locker room, put his arms around the former Barcelona forward, and joked about marrying her in Ibiza after the celebrations were over. Read the room, Rubiales.
Things were not quiet for too long, and soon after Hermoso went public, the entire world rose to support her. All her teammates called for a resignation, as did US Women’s National Team Captain Megan Rapinoe and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Rubiales tried to play down the incident by insisting that ‘he didn’t mean what he said’ and did what he did in a moment of ‘euphoria’.
He put up a fight, trying his best to hold on to his job. “A social assassination is taking place. I don’t deserve this manhunt I have been suffering,” Rubiales shockingly claimed in an RFEF meeting when he refused to step down.
However, it was a losing battle. FIFA, FIFPRO, Spain’s National team players, and even local politicians began calling for his head, which led to him eventually leaving his position.
The trial became a pivotal moment for Hermoso and women in sports. Standing in the Madrid courtroom, she spoke with raw emotion about how Rubiales had stolen the joy from what should have been the pinnacle of her sporting career. “Until today, it seems that my life has been on standby,” she testified, her words echoing the profound impact of the unwelcome kiss.
Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales is taking heat after he kissed forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the team’s World Cup victory.
Hermoso initially said she “didn’t like” the kiss, but later said it was a “natural gesture of affection and gratitude.” pic.twitter.com/mtgqOYmYSP
— The Recount (@therecount) August 21, 2023
Prosecutors were unequivocal in their pursuit of justice, seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales. The charges were clear and damning: one count of sexual assault and one of coercion.
Rubiales, who had initially tried to dismiss the incident as a moment of “euphoria” and claimed innocence, now faced the stark reality of his actions. His attempts to paint the kiss as “mutual” were categorically rejected by Hermoso, who testified that she had been pressured to downplay the incident in the aftermath.
The trial, set to conclude on February 19, became more than just a personal legal battle. It transformed into a powerful statement about consent, professional boundaries, and the ongoing fight against systemic misogyny in sports. Protests had erupted across Spanish cities, with demonstrators demanding accountability and systemic change.
As Rubiales prepared to take the stand on February 12, the sporting world watched with bated breath. The man who once wielded significant power in Spanish football now sat as a defendant, his career and reputation in tatters, facing the consequences of a single, inappropriate action that had unraveled his entire professional life.
The impending verdict promised to be a watershed moment – not just for Rubiales and Hermoso, but for the broader conversation about respect, consent, and professional conduct in sports.
