Jenni Hermoso has been called up to the Spain squad for first time since winning the Women's World Cup; Hermoso was kissed on the lips during the medal ceremony by then Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales - something she said was not consensual
Wednesday 18 October 2023 21:06, UK
Jenni Hermoso has returned to the Spain squad for the first time since helping the team win the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in the summer.
Hermoso was kissed on the lips during the medal ceremony by then Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales - something she said was not consensual - after Spain had beaten England 1-0 in the August 20 final in Sydney to become world champions.
A series of events followed including Rubiales and Jorge Vilda, manager of the World Cup-winning side, leaving their posts.
Hermoso, who plays for Mexican club Pachuca, is now back in the fold as part of the squad for Nations League matches against Italy and Switzerland on October 27 and 31.
Last month, Hermoso accused the Spanish football federation of 'intimidation' and making 'threats' after the governing body called up a host of players who asked not to join up with the women's national team.
Hermoso was not selected in Spain's Women's Nations League match against Sweden by new coach Montse Tome - the first squad since lifting the Women's World Cup, but 15 of her title-winning team-mates were included in the 23-player group named despite announcing a boycott in August.
She then released a separate statement on social media, saying the RFEF has demonstrated nothing has changed since Rubiales resigned from his post.
A group of 81 players, including all 23 members of the World Cup squad, indicated in September that they would not play for Spain again while Rubiales remained RFEF president as a result of his behaviour at the final.
Amid increasing pressure, Rubiales finally resigned from his post last month but 39 players, including 21 of Spain's World Cup winners, then released a statement saying that was not enough to trigger their return to national-team duty.
The players said they were not yet "in a safe place" to return and that the problems at the RFEF ran far deeper than Rubiales, who is under investigation by Spain's High Court for alleged sexual assault and coercion following a criminal complaint by Hermoso.
Rubiales has been banned from going within 200 metres of Hermoso as the national court in Madrid considered a complaint of sexual assault - something the 46-year-old denies.
