Teammates Testify How Upset Hermoso Was By Rubiales Kiss And Alleged Pressure To Back Him

Teammates of Jenni Hermoso corroborated her account of being distraught and angered by the World Cup kiss from former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales when they testified at his sexual assault trial on Thursday.

Rubiales, who has yet to testify at the trial in Madrid, has previously claimed that Hermoso agreed to the kiss that took place during the awards ceremony after Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Sydney.

Hermoso testified on Monday that the kiss was unsolicited . She also said she was repeatedly pressured by Rubiales and his officials to say otherwise.

Teammate Alexia Putellas told how Hermoso wept on the flight home to Spain from the victory in Australia because Rubiales allegedly tried to get her to make a video with him to respond to the public criticism that erupted after he grabbed her head and placed a kiss on her lips before a global televised audience.

"She said how Rubiales wouldn't stop telling her his version of the events and asking her to come out and say that she had consented to the kiss, that she should do it for his daughters," Putellas said. "She was mad. She said she told him that he didn't have to tell her what happened because she had been there, that she was not going to appear with him in a video and to leave her alone."