Atletico Madrid players hold a sign reading “with you Jennifer Hermoso” ahead of their Copa de la Reina match against AC Milan
Players and fans have shown their support for World Cup star Jenni Hermoso after she was kissed on the lips by Spain’s Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales.
Slogans such as “we are Jenni” and “we’re with you” took centre stage at some La Liga and Copa de la Reina matches over the weekend.
Image source, Getty Images
A football fan wears a wristband in support of Jenni Hermoso at a La Liga match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona
The shows of support were not just confined to the football pitch. Protests gripped Spain after Luis Rubiales kissed the player following Spain’s win over England in Sydney a week ago.
He was provisionally suspended by Fifa for 90 days on Saturday, after 33-year-old Hermoso said the kiss prior to the team lifting the trophy was not consensual, despite Rubiales’s claims to the contrary.
The 46-year-old called it “mutual, euphoric and consensual”.
Image source, EPA
Cadiz players with a sign saying “we are Jenni” ahead of their match against UD Almeria
Rubiales’s refusal to quit and insistence he would “fight until the end” overshadowed Spain’s win and the wider conversation around women’s sport.
An internal investigation has been launched by the RFEF, but only after it initially said it would take legal action over Hermoso’s comments and questioned her version of events.
The RFEF will hold an urgent meeting on Monday. The country’s sports court will also meet.
Watch: Fans and players protest over Rubiales kiss
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AC Milan players also wore wristbands backing Hermoso in their Copa de la Reina match against Atletico Madrid
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Sevilla players wear shirts reading “it’s over”, referring to Rubiales, and in support of Hermoso, ahead of their La Liga match against Girona FC
Image source, Reuters/USA Today Sports
The row has spread beyond Spain, with Houston Dash players holding a sign reading “with you Jenni” ahead of their match against Kansas City Current
