Luis Rubiales Found Guilty of Sexual Assaulting Jenni Hermoso at World Cup Ceremony

Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault.

In early September 2023, Luis Rubiales resigned from his positions as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and vice president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) following a scandal involving Jennifer Hermoso at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final award ceremony.

Now, let's get straight to the point: What exactly did disgraced former soccer official Luis Rubiales do to professional soccer player Jenni Hermoso?

Here's everything you need to know about this disturbing situation.

After Spain won the Women's World Cup in August 2023, Luis Rubiales made headlines for grabbing Jenni Hermoso's face and kissing her on the lips during the award ceremony. Shortly after, the Spanish soccer star went live on Instagram and made it abundantly clear that she did not like the kiss.

Later in the locker room, Rubiales reportedly put his arm around Jenni and offered to fund a trip for the team to Ibiza, even joking about marrying her there. The former soccer boss's actions quickly sparked widespread outrage, leading many to call for his resignation.

Initially, Rubiales refused to step down and apologized for his behavior, claiming his actions were the result of "euphoria."

Ultimately, though, Rubiales resigned from his roles on Sept. 10, 2023. Then, on October 30, FIFA banned him from participating in any football-related activities for three years, while Spain's legal sports panel imposed a similar ban in the country.

In November 2023, a Spanish judge began investigating Jenni's claims that Rubiales sexually assaulted her with the kiss and pressured her to publicly defend him afterward.

Despite denying any wrongdoing, Rubiales stood trial in Madrid for the incident. On Feb. 20, 2025, he was found guilty of sexual assault but acquitted of coercion. He was ordered to pay a fine of €10,800 (~$11,300), stay at least 200 meters away from Jenni Hermoso, and have absolutely no contact with her for one year.

In the verdict, Judge José Manuel Clemente Fernández-Prieto ruled that Rubiales had sexually assaulted Jenni when he "grabbed the player's head with both hands and, in a sudden manner, kissed her on the lips without her consent."

The judge emphasized that a kiss on the lips carries a clear sexual connotation and is not a proper greeting for someone with whom one does not have an emotional and romantic relationship.

He also noted that Rubiales had congratulated other team members with hugs and kisses on the cheek, making his actions toward Jenni particularly inappropriate.

According to BBC News, Jenni stated in her testimony that she had not permitted Rubiales to kiss her and described the incident as "staining one of the happiest days of my life."

Jenni further told the court, "My boss was kissing me, and this shouldn't happen in any social or work setting," adding, "A kiss on the lips is only given when I decide so."