
Former coach Vilda denies pressure on Hermoso to downplay kiss after Women's World Cup final
MADRID — Jorge Vilda, the former coach of Spain women's soccer team, told a judge on Wednesday that ex-soccer federation president Luis Rubiales did not ask him to put pressure on Jenni Hermoso following the outcry that erupted after Rubiales kissed the player.
Hermoso has already testified at Rubiales' trial that she did not consent to being kissed by him in the presentation ceremony after Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup.

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Associated Press
3 days ago
- Associated Press
Hermoso left out of Spain's squad for Women's European Championship
MADRID (AP) — Spain's squad for the Women's European Championship does not include Jenni Hermoso, the player who was kissed without her consent by the former president of the Spanish soccer federation in the awards ceremony of the 2023 World Cup. The kiss led to a guilty verdict for sexual assault for Luis Rubiales earlier this year. Spain stars Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati were among the 25 players called up by coach Montse Tomé on Tuesday ahead of the tournament in Switzerland. The training camp will begin next Thursday in Spain, with players from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid — who participated in the final of the Copa de la Reina on Saturday, due to report Sunday. The team will play a friendly against Japan near Madrid on June 27, and two days later will travel to Switzerland ahead of its Euro debut against Portugal on July 3. The final roster will be 23 players. The other nations in Spain's Euro 2025 group are Italy and Belgium. Hermoso, who plays for Mexican club Tigres, has not been called up for national duty since friendlies against Italy and Canada last October. She had played in the Olympic tournament in Paris, when Spain finished fourth. Hermoso, the all-time leading scorer for Spain's national team with 57 goals in 123 matches, was left out of the squad right after the scandal broke, when Tomé said she was protecting the player. Hermoso was back with the squad after that, but the coach had said after the Olympics that a new cycle was beginning in the national team. In addition to winning the World Cup in 2023, Spain also won last year's Nations League title. In February, a Spanish court ruled that Rubiales had sexually abused Hermoso when he kissed her without consent. Spain's National Court ordered Rubiales to pay more than 10,000 euros ($10,400 then) in fines and prohibited him from getting within 200 meters of Hermoso or communicating with her for a year. ___ AP soccer:


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