Laia Codina testified in a National Court session this Friday, confirming the pressures placed on her teammate Jenni Hermoso after the kiss given to her by Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Legal sources confirmed this to Europa Press in the presence of the chief of general staff. Central Instruction Court No. 1 Francisco de Jorge, Codina approved the version Hermoso presented to the Prosecutor’s Office.
When Codina arrived at the headquarters, it was just before 9:30 in the morning. The Women’s National Team was preparing for a match against Italy, with the team focusing on matters surrounding the ongoing investigations.
The footballer avoided addressing the waiting media and left the building around 11:30 a.m. A Federation van stood ready at the entrance, and Codina moved quickly, covering about ten meters to reach it.
It is important to recall that Hermoso previously testified before the deputy prosecutor of the National Court, Marta Durantez, before the lawsuit was filed. Hermoso stated that she felt disrespected and that she was subjected to something she never sought or expected to find herself in the situation described.
In a prosecutor’s statement released by Telecinco, Hermoso described the moment she received the kiss after Spain won the Women’s World Cup. According to her account, she hugged Rubiales and remarked that the team had a victory to celebrate. Rubiales then reportedly commented, “Thanks to you, we won this World Cup.”
When questioned by the prosecutor, Hermoso recalled, “The next moment his hands were on my head, and after that I heard nothing else. I saw the kiss on my mouth and immediately went down to the stage with my friends.” She added that she did not foresee such an incident and that the World Cup victory felt like a heavy burden carried by those involved in the event’s celebration.
Hermoso emphasized that the kiss was not something she anticipated or consented to, adding that the moment did not reflect how she wished to be treated as a player or as a person. She shared that after stepping off the stage, she explained the situation to her teammates, including Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes.
Codina was the fourth teammate to testify before the referee, following contributions from Alexia Putellas, Misa Rodríguez, and Irene Paredes. These statements are part of a case in which Rubiales faces allegations of sexual assault and coercion related to the kiss during the World Cup celebration in Australia and New Zealand. The judge is expected to hear further testimony, including from Jenni Hermoso, when the proceedings resume in early January.
Rubiales’ account
Rubiales has argued that the kiss was a lighthearted moment, a spontaneous display of affection amid intense media scrutiny and a large crowd. He asserted that it occurred with consent and was part of the celebratory atmosphere surrounding a historic win. Hermoso’s legal team countered that the kiss was not consensual and that Hermoso did not feel respected as a player or as a person. They described the moment as an extraordinary celebration that did not involve mutual agreement.
When asked about the incident, Rubiales said the kiss was a natural gesture, a moment of shared joy. He described Hermoso as laughing afterward and stated that she responded with two light slaps on his shoulder. The Prosecutor’s Office later released Hermoso’s account through Telecinco, in which she stated that the kiss did not reflect her wishes and that she did not feel respected in that moment.