It's Over: The Trial of Luis Rubiales
Full Time: A show about women's soccer
The Athletic
4.8 • 808 Ratings
🗓️ 2 March 2025
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In August 2023, on the pitch in Sydney, Australia, Spanish forward Jenni Hermoso's life changed. But not in the way it should have.In a moment that became more widely known as "The Kiss" former Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales, grabbed Hermoso's face and planted a kiss on her lips.
It became front page news around the world.In February 2025, Rubiales went on trial for one count of sexual assault and one of coercion. If he was found guilty of both counts, the prosecution was asking for a two and a half year prison sentence.In the end, following a two week trial, Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault but not guilty of coercion.
So, how did we get to this ruling?
Meg Linehan guides you through the full story, with the help of The Athletic's Spanish reporters, from the pitch in Sydney, to the hills of south Spain, over to the court room of Madrid. And ultimately ask one question, se acabó? Is it over?
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Credits
Host: Meg Linehan.
Contributors: Dermot Corrigan, Guillermo Rai, Laia Cervello and Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero.
Producer: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
Executive Producers: Abi Paterson and Emily Olsen
Featuring footage from: ABC News, Sky Sports, Al Jazeera, The Independent, Sky News, France 24 English, Fox, Jenni Hermoso Instagram, RFEF
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | I felt disrespected. It was a moment that tainted one of the happiest days of my life. |
| 0:13.9 | Those were the words of Jennifer Ormoso, as she testified in a Madrid courtroom this February |
| 0:18.6 | during the trial of Luis Rubialis, the former head of the Spanish Football Federation. |
| 0:23.4 | She was describing a moment 18 months earlier when she lifted the World Cup trophy with Spain. |
| 0:28.1 | My life changed in that moment. |
| 0:31.8 | In August 2023, on the pitch in Sydney, Australia, her life changed, but not in the way it should have. |
| 0:40.4 | Since that day, my life has been in standby and I've not been able to live freely. |
| 0:46.9 | The champions of the world should have been celebrating reaching the pinnacle of their careers. |
| 0:52.0 | Instead, something sinister overshadowed this moment. |
| 0:55.3 | It should be remembered for the first time that Spain ever won a World Cup, and sadly |
| 1:00.8 | it's remember for Luis Rubiales giving an uncontented kiss to one of the best players that they have. |
| 1:07.1 | With the world watching the trophy presentation, Rubiales embraced Hermoso after she collected her |
| 1:12.3 | winner's medal, putting both hands on either side of her head and planting a kiss on her lips. |
| 1:17.8 | It soon became known as the kiss. |
| 1:20.3 | Rubiales robbed them to their spot, their place. |
| 1:23.7 | For many, it was shocking. For others, it was overblown, a moment of excitement and affection. |
| 1:29.9 | For those within Spanish women's national team, |
| 1:32.4 | it was another transgression in a long list of issues they've had with Rubialis and co. |
| 1:38.5 | One thing was certain. |
| 1:40.1 | The moment became a breaking point. |
| 1:42.2 | Ramoso, with the support of her teammates, wasn't going to let it slide. |
| 1:48.0 | In the following days, that support only grew. |
... |
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