Jenni Hermoso’s brother, Rafael, has told a Spanish court that the football star was pressured to downplay the kiss she received from former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales after the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.

Rubiales is currently on trial in Spain, facing charges of sexual assault and coercion after he grabbed and kissed Hermoso without her consent following Spain’s victory over England.

Hermoso later stated that the kiss was not consensual and claimed she was pressured to minimize the seriousness of Rubiales’ actions. Her brother, Rafael, has now testified in court, sharing details of what Hermoso told him about the incident shortly after it happened.

The case has drawn widespread attention, sparking conversations about consent and misconduct in sports, and putting a spotlight on the need for accountability within football’s leadership.

As reported by ESPN, he told the court: "She came to us half-crying and told us that they were pressuring her to take a stance downplaying the kiss."

Rafael added that then-national team manager Jorge Vilda, who is also on trial for coercion, spoke to him on the flight home. He said:

"We were talking about soccer and the achievement of the team and suddenly he mentioned the kiss. He said that the president wanted me to talk to Jenni to ask her to record the video together downplaying the kiss, because that would be the best thing for everyone."

He also said that he felt Vilda had threatened his sister about not helping and that he had told the Spain boss: "I was not going to try to convince her to do something that I also don't agree with."

Hermoso has already appeared as a witness at the trial, revealing the death threats she received after the kiss and how the saga "stained one of the happiest days of her life". Rubiales denies all the charges against him and is still yet to testify.The trial is set to continue and is expected to last 10 days in total.

Prosecutors are requesting a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Luis Rubiales, along with a €50,000 (£41,000) fine as compensation for damages. They are also seeking to have him banned from holding any position as a sports official.