Jenni Hermoso, the Women’s World Cup-winning player who was famously kissed on the lips by the former president of the Spanish soccer federation, has been called up again to the national team. Coach Montse Tomé included Hermoso in the squad for this month’s Nations League matches against Italy and Switzerland.
Hermoso was initially omitted from the national team following the World Cup in order to protect her amid the controversy surrounding Luis Rubiales’ kiss at the awards ceremony, which took place after Spain had lifted the trophy in Australia in August.
Explaining the decision to bring Hermoso back into the squad, Coach Tomé stated, “At the time, we believed that was the best option for her and for us. Now things have improved. She has played more often. It’s the right moment.”
Hermoso had publicly stated that the kiss was without her consent, and Spanish state prosecutors later accused Rubiales of sexual assault and coercion. The allegations further claimed that Rubiales had attempted to persuade Hermoso and her relatives to downplay the incident publicly. As a result, Hermoso, along with other Spain players, has testified as witnesses in the investigation into Rubiales’ actions.
Several federation officials have been dismissed
Following Rubiales’ resignation and government intervention, the players ended their boycott of the national team after receiving guarantees of change within the federation. Coach Tomé, in her first squad selection, included the World Cup-winning players, even though they had initially expressed their reluctance to play until their demands for change were met. Subsequently, several federation officials have been dismissed, and a joint committee involving players has been established.
Despite her return to the national team, the 33-year-old Hermoso, who currently plays for Mexican club Pachuca, had previously criticized the federation for summoning the World Cup-winning players against their wishes. Not responding to a national team call-up can result in fines or bans.
However, not all players who left the squad earlier returned. Patri Guijarro and Mapi León, who had chosen to leave the squad after their initial call-ups, were not included in Coach Tomé’s squad for the upcoming matches.
Spain has begun its post-World Cup era with a strong start, securing a 3-2 victory against Sweden and a commanding 5-0 win against Switzerland in their first two matches in the Nations League.
