New footage of World Cup kiss contradicts Spanish football chief’s claims
New footage has emerged of Luis Rubiales’ infamous World Cup kiss that contradicts the disgraced Spanish football chief’s claims about the incident.
Rubiales has been suspended by FIFA, but he is still refusing to quit his post as president of the Spanish football federation after being roundly condemned for forcibly kissing a Spanish player on the mouth following the Women’s World Cup final.
After Spain’s 1-0 win over England in the final in Sydney Rubiales gave midfielder Jennifer Hermoso an unsolicited kiss on the lips. He also celebrated victory by grabbing his genitals.
Rubiales came under unprecedented pressure to resign, with days of criticism from figures including Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez.
Rubiales initially defended the kiss as “Two people showing each other a minor show of affection”, adding of questions over his conduct: “This idiocy should be ignored”.
He claimed the kiss was “consensual” but Hermoso insists she never consented to a kiss on the lips.
At an emergency meeting of the Spanish federation, Rubiales claimed Hermoso lifted him up and the kiss was a mutual interaction.
“Jenni was the one who lifted me up,” he said. “I told her to ‘forget about the penalty’ and I said to her ‘a little peck?’ and she said ‘OK’.”
But new footage from a different angle in Sydney’s Stadium Australia shows Rubiales jumped into Hermoso’s arms, lifting himself off his feet before kissing her on the lips.
In a further twist, more footage has surfaced that appears to show Hermoso laughing on Spain’s team bus as she showed a screenshot of the infamous kiss on her phone to teammates.
The screengrab shows Rubiales’ kiss with Hermoso alongside a photo of former Spanish international Iker Casillas locking lips with
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