Jenni Hermoso Returns to Spain Squad After Luis Rubiales Kiss Scandal
Jenni Hermoso has been named in the Spain squad for the first time since the Women’s World Cup kiss scandal involving Luis Rubiales.
In August, Spain’s women became champions of the world with victory over England in the final – but their achievements were largely overshadowed by the inappropriate actions of former Spanish FA (RFEF) president Rubiales.
Rubiales kissed female player Hermoso on the lips during the presentation ceremony, which sparked widespread outrage and forced him to resign.
Spain’s players demanded further changes following the incident and announced that they would boycott the national team until their implementation. The boycott eventually came to an end after the RFEF agreed to ‘immediate and profound changes’ and Hermoso has now finally made her own return to the squad after missing matches against Sweden and Switzerland in September.
The 33-year-old, who has registered 51 goals across 101 caps for Spain, could be set to feature against Italy and Switzerland in the Nations League on October 27 and October 31 respectively.
Hermoso’s international team-mate Aitana Bonmati recently opened up about the kiss scandal and insisted that Spain now wish to ‘stick to football’.
‘We are setting an example on a sporting and social levels, that men and women should be treated equally,’ Bonmati said. ‘The first few days were complicated, with stress, anxiety, but as the days have gone by things have changed. We have now been able to focus on football, which is what we want. We want to get back to normality knowing that there are many things to improve, that have been discussed, and that there are commitments on all sides to make this go better and to leave a good legacy and good conditions for all generations to come.’
The kiss scandal involving Luis Rubiales and Jenni Hermoso has been a major talking point in the world of football since it occurred in August. The incident sparked widespread outrage and forced Rubiales to resign as president of the Spanish FA (RFEF). In response, Spain’s players demanded further changes and announced that they would boycott the national team until their implementation.
The boycott eventually came to an end after the RFEF agreed to ‘immediate and profound changes’ and Hermoso has now finally made her own return to the squad after missing matches against Sweden and Switzerland in September. The 33-year-old, who has registered 51 goals across 101 caps for Spain, could be set to feature against Italy and Switzerland in the Nations League on October 27 and October 31 respectively.
Hermoso’s international team-mate Aitana Bonmati recently opened up about the kiss scandal and insisted that Spain now wish to ‘stick to football’. ‘We are setting an example on a sporting and social levels, that men and women should be treated equally,’ Bonmati said. ‘The first few days were complicated, with stress, anxiety, but as the days have gone by things have changed. We have now been able to focus on football, which is what we want. We want to get back to normality knowing that there are many things to improve, that have been discussed, and that there are commitments on all sides to make this go better and to leave a good legacy and good conditions for all generations to come.’
It is clear that Hermoso’s return to the Spain squad is a positive step forward for gender equality in football. Hermoso is an experienced player with a wealth of talent and her return will undoubtedly strengthen the Spanish team as they look ahead to their upcoming matches in the Nations League.
It is hoped that Hermoso’s return will help put an end to the controversy surrounding Rubiales’ actions and allow Spain’s players to focus on what they do best – playing football. With Hermoso back in the squad, Spain will be hoping for a successful campaign in the Nations League as they look to put the kiss scandal firmly behind them.