Jenni Hermoso who is in the center of the kiss gate scandal that led Luis Rubiales to lose his job as Spanish FA president wasn’t invited to Spain’s women’s national team for their games in September.
Recall that Rubiales who was then Spanish FA president decided to celebrate the country’s first Women’s World Cup victory by publicly kissing Hermoso on her lips.
While Rubiales insisted that the kiss was consensual, Hermoso stressed that she didn’t consent to it and has filed a legal complaint in Spain over the scandal.
After the former Spanish FA president refused to resign over the scandal, about 81 players declared their unwillingness to play for the country, and the world football governing body suspended him as they commenced disciplinary procedures against him.
Amidst that, Rubiales’ close friend, Jorge Vilda who was the head coach that led the Spanish women’s team to win the 2023 Women’s World Cup, was sacked by Rubiales’ successor for supporting the embattled football administrator and for the petitions written against him.
Luis Rubiales has now formally resigned as Spanish FA president and has commenced legal procedure in Spain over his kiss on Hermoso’s lips.
While that is ongoing, Montse Tome, who is now the head coach of Spain’s Women’s team, has decided to drop Jenni Hermoso and invited 15 of the 23 players who helped the country to win the Women’s World Cup in August.
It’s unclear whether the 81 players, including the 15 World Cup winners invited by coach Tome, have decided to make themselves available for the country again after going on strike over the kiss-gate scandal.
However, while announcing his squad earlier today, Tome claimed to have spoken with the selected players but didn’t say what was discussed.
The selected players, and new additions, are expected to execute the Nations League game against Sweden on Friday, September 22, and against Switzerland on Tuesday, September 26.
Meanwhile, Rubiales has been prohibited from coming within 200 meters close to Jenni Hermoso and warned not to contact the 33-year-old as his court hearing on the kiss scandal, which is now treated as sexual assault, continues.