Spain’s Hermoso was ‘overwhelmed’ after World Cup kiss, court hears

Three colleagues of Mr Rubiales are also on trial, accused of colluding in the alleged coercion: Jorge Vilda, coach of the World Cup-winning side, Rubén Rivera, the federation’s former head of marketing, and former sporting director, Albert Luque. They all deny the charges.

On Wednesday, the court heard that Mr Vilda spoke to Rafael Hermoso – brother of Jenni Hermoso – on the flight back to Spain, telling him that Mr Rubiales feared for his position, according to local Spanish media.

Mr Vilda asked him to speak to his sister about her making a video with Ms Rubiales that would downplay the kiss.

The coach warned that his sister could face “professional and personal consequences” if she did not cooperate, Rafael Hermoso said.

Speaking in court on Monday, Ms Hermoso said she and the then-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation hugged and celebrated at the football event, saying that he then grabbed her “by the ears and kiss[ed] me on the mouth”.

“I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she said, adding that “a kiss on the lips is only given when I decide so”.

The footballer said she felt “completely abandoned by the federation”.

Prosecutors are calling for Mr Rubiales to receive a one-year prison sentence for sexual assault for the kiss. They are also calling for him to be given a sentence of a year-and-a-half for coercion, for allegedly trying to pressure Ms Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual. Rubiales denies the charges.

The trial continues.