Ahead of the Spanish Super Cup, former federation president, Luis Rubiales, has again hit out at UANL and Spain’s Jenni Hermoso regarding the infamous kiss which eventually saw him fired from his position.
Back in 2023 when Spain’s Women won the World Cup against England, the footballing world were left in shock when Rubiales, helping out in the presentation ceremony, planted a forceful kiss on Hermoso’s lips.
He subsequently refused to resign after the furore that erupted, but eventually did so some days later.
Clearly incensed at his treatment Rubiales didn’t go quietly, and now he’s appeared to put his head above the parapet once again.
“I believe that there is no one who believes that what happened was a sexual assault and there is no one, really, who believes Jenni Hermoso because she said what she said and then changed her mind,” he said in an interview with El Espanol (h/t Relevo).
“She knows she’s lying , I know it and my daughters who accompanied me know it and heard Jenni say ‘leave me alone, he’s a friend, it’s been a big deal between two friends.‘ My daughters have heard that.
“[…] Most people don’t believe Jenni Hermoso so that comforts them (his daughters) and they tell me ‘look, dad. Everyone knows that this person is lying.'”
Quite what Rubiales expects to achieve from his latest outburst is unclear, though it will clearly make life uncomfortable again for Jenni Hermoso.
Now plying her trade in Mexico for Tigres UANL Femenil, the 33-year-old might have been forgiven for thinking that the distance would enable her to have a quieter existence.
With communication as it is today, however, that was never going to be likely, and she will surely have to face another barrage of questioning after Rubiales’ latest tirade.