The Spanish soccer world champion Jennifer Hermoso has for the first time since the World Cup final victory commented on the debate about association boss Luis Rubiales and sharply criticized the 46-year-old for kissing at the award ceremony. “I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulsive, sexist and inappropriate act that I didn’t consent to. Put simply, I wasn’t respected,” the 33-year-old wrote on Friday in an Instagram and X social media outlet, formerly Twitter, widespread statement.
Rubiales had held Hermoso’s head with both hands at the awards ceremony after the 1-0 win in the World Cup final against England and kissed her on the mouth without being asked. Immediately afterwards, the striker said in a video that she didn’t like it. Since then, Rubiales has been massively criticized from many directions and asked to resign. He rejected this step in a defiant defense speech at an extraordinary general meeting of the RFEF football association, which he leads, in Madrid on Friday. Hermoso picked him up at the award ceremony in Sydney, pulled him to her body and expressly agreed to the kiss.
Hermoso, on the other hand, made it clear in her statement that she had not been asked and had by no means given her consent. The kiss was not consensual. She will not play for Spain’s national team again as long as the current leadership stays in her post. All of her teammates in the Spanish selection also joined this boycott.
Hermoso emphasized that Rubiales’ action on the final day was not exceptional. “These types of incidents are among a long list of situations that players have condemned in recent years,” she wrote. “This incident that I was involved in ticks all the right boxes and what everyone was able to witness live on TV during our celebration is part of the attitude that we were able to see this morning and that has been part of our day-to-day life as a team for years,” criticized Hermoso.
