Jenni Hermoso’s response to the kiss Luis Rubiales gave her after Spain’s World Cup victory

On Sunday, the Spanish women’s football team was crowned world champions for the first time in history after defeating England (1-0) in the final of the Australia and New Zealand World Cup. The match was decided by a goal from Olga Carmona before the half-hour mark.

Under the lead of the controversial Jorge Vilda, La Roja controlled the entire match held in Sydney. They even had the chance to widen the gap with a penalty missed by Jenni Hermoso. This victory crowned their exceptional World Cup journey, earning them a place in the realm of women’s football.

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“I’m overjoyed, we knew it wouldn’t be easy, but this World Cup had to be ours. We deserved it; it’s a dream for all of us and the entire country,” said forward Salma Paralluelo, the current U17, U20 champion, and reigning world champion at 19 years old. “The locker room is ecstatic. We’re celebrating, talking with our families, super emotional. All the messages are positive, we’ve made history, and this is amazing. The happiness is shared. I’ve cried and talked with my family. They mean everything to me. They told me we deserved it.”

Real Madrid’s Ivana Andrés added that she “experienced the match very intensely, with a lot of nerves. We knew we had it in us and we could do it. We believed and trusted until the end, fought like champions. It was an immense effort by the team, and we’re very happy.”

“This World Cup is for all the pioneers and the girls who are starting to play football,” she added.

What happened with Jennifer Hermoso and Spain’s president?

Jennifer Hermoso, who missed a penalty, couldn’t hide her emotions and tears: “We’ve been imagining this for many days. We can’t grasp that we are bloody world champions! It’s the best feeling I’ve experienced in football, the best feeling of my life. This is incredible; we dedicate it to all our families and everyone who took to the streets in Spain,” she said after the match. “We played football the way we wanted and won a World Championship,” she concluded.

Hermoso became a part of a series of iconic images with the kiss on the lips Luis Rubiales, the Spanish Federation president, gave her during the awards ceremony.

What Hermoso said about Rubiales’ kiss

Confusion and anger towards Rubiales are growing on social media. For some people, what happened between the president of the Spanish Federation and one of the best football players is reminiscent of the passionate kiss between Iker Casillas and Sara Carbonero in 2010 when the men’s World Cup was won, and they celebrated in that manner. However, Hermoso was very clear; she posted a funny video playing down what had just happened, saying, “Hey! But I didn’t like it,” as she appeared to be laughing at the situation.

Later, Rubiales joked with the players in the locker room, promising them a trip to Ibiza where he said he would celebrate his wedding with Jenni Hermoso. After the fuss that was created, the footballer made other statements, downplaying the matter: “It was a completely spontaneous mutual gesture due to the immense joy of winning a World Cup. The president and I have a great relationship; his behavior towards all of us has been exemplary, and it was a natural expression of affection and gratitude,” Jenni said.

“There’s no need to overanalyze a gesture of friendship and gratitude; we’ve won a World Cup, and we won’t stray from what’s important.”