World champion Jennifer Hermoso remained a central figure as 2024 began, continuing to influence conversations around women’s football. The Spanish star was part of New Year celebrations and spoke about hoping that the year would bring titles and broader equality for all. As she ends her contract with Pachuca, she also faces a key moment in a case involving Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, who faces charges related to sexual assault and coercion.
Jenni Hermoso in Campanadas: “May 2024 bring many championships and equality to everyone”
Her words echoed the sentiment of many players and fans as the calendar turned, highlighting a year charged with both athletic ambition and social progress.
Statement made before the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office
Hermoso is set to testify on a Tuesday morning in Central Instruction Court No. 1, overseen by Francisco de Jorge. She was initially summoned to testify in late November, but two defense teams, including Rubiales’s, requested a delay due to overlapping proceedings.
Her forthcoming statement is expected to influence the direction of the 2023 investigation into Rubiales, the federation’s former president, in the wake of a scandal following a non-consensual kiss during Spain’s World Cup victory celebrations in Australia and New Zealand. It is noted that Hermoso had previously testified before Marta Durantez, deputy prosecutor of the National Court, ahead of formal proceedings.
“There was never anything consensual. I did not feel respected, neither as a player nor as a person. I was living a historic moment and hoped actions would have consequences. I did nothing to bring about this situation,” Hermoso stated about the incident in the Sydney finale.
“I didn’t look for that moment”
She explained that she did not anticipate the kiss, not on that stage. It was the World Cup medal ceremony, a surge of emotion and joy. Yet she emphasized that she neither sought nor provoked the moment. The incident left Rubiales’s actions and the surrounding media clearly unsettling, according to her description of the experience as shocking.
Right after the kiss, Hermoso contacted teammates and told them, “Rubiales just kissed me on the mouth.” Those words were corroborated by colleagues in their judicial statements. Hermoso explained that her intent was to keep the focus on the team’s victory and not allow anything to undermine that moment. She noted that those around her advised downplaying the incident to avoid distracting from the triumph.
Hermoso recalled that family members were told she mattered greatly and deserved recognition, and they tried to persuade her to minimize the incident’s impact. She described pressure from influential figures and recalled a crowd of relatives at the event, expressing how difficult it was to navigate the situation while protecting teammates from blame.
Rubiales defended consent
Rubiales asserted before the judge that the kiss was a spontaneous show of affection in a moment with millions of eyes and that it was consensual. When pressed by Hermoso’s counsel, he maintained that the moment was part of an extraordinary celebration. He said he had asked for consent beforehand.
“Yes, I asked before, how can I not respect him?” he claimed, describing gestures he deemed supportive in the moment.
Pablo García Cuervo, a former RFEF communications director, recently spoke out in an interview. He argued that politics had not blamed Rubiales and suggested his behavior was inappropriate, clarifying that he acted according to his professional role at the federation. He added that the narrative around the event was misleading and out of context, framing the Super Cup as a major operation that supports many clubs and fans financially. He noted that no federation official has moved to cancel the related contract.
In his view, none of this has led to an immediate contractual reversal within the federation.
End in Pachuca and future in Tigres
The Rubiales case also influenced Hermoso’s professional decisions. At 33, she concluded her spell with Tuzas del Pachuca of the MX League. The move opened doors to other top clubs, with rumors pointing toward Tigres UANL as a potential destination.
“2023 carries your magic, your past, and the passion with which you defend this shield. Today, the first World Champion of the BBVA Women’s League bids farewell to a chapter, keeping the memory alive in our hearts,” read a club statement associated with Hermoso. The striker tallied 26 goals and 10 assists in that period, and while she celebrated a league title, she also endured the sting of losing the Clausura final. Her career includes stints with Atlético Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, and Barcelona, underscoring a journey marked by high expectations and memorable performances.