Luis Rubiales, the disgraced former head of the Spanish Football Federation, is set to appeal his conviction and €10,800 fine for forcibly kissing footballer Jenni Hermoso, his lawyer confirmed on Wednesday.
Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault in February by Spain’s top criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional, following a high-profile trial that sparked nationwide debate and international condemnation. The charge stemmed from the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, when Rubiales kissed Hermoso during the medal ceremony without her consent, prompting global outrage.
However, the court acquitted him of a separate coercion charge, which alleged he had pressured Hermoso into publicly downplaying the incident.
Both the prosecution and defence challenged the February ruling, with prosecutors arguing for a more severe sentence, including a custodial term of up to two and a half years. Feminist organisations also expressed disappointment at what they saw as an insufficient punishment.
Despite the appeals, the court upheld its original verdict and sentence, stating in its Wednesday ruling: “The kiss was not consensual.” It noted that Hermoso had clearly communicated her discomfort both at the time and during her court testimony, supported by the accounts of teammates. “It cannot be said that a kiss in those circumstances was frequent, common, or usual,” the judges concluded.
Rubiales’s legal representative, Olga Tubau, confirmed he would escalate the matter to Spain’s Supreme Court.
The court also maintained a one-year restraining order prohibiting Rubiales from coming within 200 metres of Hermoso or making any contact with her.
Additionally, the ruling reaffirmed the acquittals of former national team coach Jorge Vilda and former football officials Albert Luque and Ruben Rivera, who had also faced coercion charges.
Prosecutors’ efforts to overturn the original ruling, including raising questions about the presiding judge’s impartiality, were dismissed.
Rubiales was forced to resign amid the uproar, and FIFA subsequently banned him from football-related activities for three years. The case triggered a crisis within Spanish football and brought further scrutiny on gender issues in sport.
Hermoso, Spain’s all-time leading women’s goalscorer, has since become a powerful symbol in the movement against sexism in sport.
Separately, Rubiales remains under investigation over alleged financial misconduct linked to the controversial transfer of the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia—a deal involving Kosmos, a company owned by former footballer Gerard Piqué. Rubiales has rejected all accusations as “falsehoods”.
