MADRID — Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the Spain men’s national soccer team, testified in court on Tuesday regarding the ongoing trial of former Spanish soccer president Luis Rubiales. He stated that he did not participate in conversations concerning Jenni Hermoso following the controversial kiss that Rubiales planted on her during the presentation ceremony of the 2023 Women’s World Cup final in Sydney.
Rubiales is facing accusations of sexual assault due to kissing Hermoso, who is a forward for the Spanish national team, during the ceremony. He is also charged with coercion for allegedly pressuring her to endorse his version of events surrounding the kiss. While Hermoso maintains that she did not give her consent, Rubiales contends that the kiss was mutual.
During his short court appearance, de la Fuente shared that he had a conversation with Hermoso roughly two months ago at a gala, although he clarified that he had no discussions with officials from the Spanish federation about the kiss or any efforts to support Rubiales. He attended the Women’s World Cup final but refrained from involving himself in related discussions.
Rubiales, aged 47, along with three other former officials from the Spanish soccer federation—including ex-women’s coach Jorge Vilda, former sports director Albert Luque, and former marketing head Rubén Rivera—are accused of putting pressure on Hermoso to make a public statement defending Rubiales, which she declined to do.
De la Fuente stated, “Nobody talked to me or asked me about” a potential statement from Hermoso. Following the scandal, he indicated that when he visited the federation, his discussions were strictly about football and matters relevant to his role as the men’s national coach. Notably, he recently had his contract with the national team extended until 2028.
During the trial, the presiding judge expressed frustration at times with former federation press chief Pablo García Cuervo’s answers, requesting greater clarity. Cuervo revealed that he had prepared some of Hermoso’s remarks for media release and mentioned that when Hermoso inquired about creating a video of her comments, he advised against it.
Hermoso, who testified on the trial’s opening day, described feeling disrespected by Rubiales’ actions, remarking that the kiss “stained one of the happiest days of my life” after winning the Women’s World Cup. The incident sparked significant outrage in Spain, drawing attention to the broader issues of sexism in sports and society.
Rubiales has denied the charges against him and has not yet taken the stand in his defense. He resigned from his position under mounting pressure three weeks after the incident and was subsequently banned by FIFA for three years. Rubiales claimed to be the target of a “witch hunt” incited by “false feminists.”
Prosecutors, along with Hermoso and the Spain players’ association, are seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales and requesting a fine of 50,000 euros ($51,800) in damages, along with a ban from future roles in sports administration. They are also pursuing one-and-a-half-year prison terms for the three other defendants.
The proceedings are set to continue on Wednesday and are expected to last for a minimum of ten days. Rubiales was present during the trial’s first day on Monday.
