Spain men’s coach Luis de la Fuente has denied that he was involved in crisis talks at the Spanish football federation (RFEF) over handling the response to Luis Rubiales’ kiss of World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso.
De la Fuente was giving evidence on Tuesday as a witness at Rubiales’ trial for sexual assault, as well as alleged attempts by Rubiales — and three other defendants — to cooerce Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual.
Rubiales, who denies the charges, kissed Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony following Spain‘s women’s World Cup final win in Sydney, Australia, in August 2023, in an act which Hermoso has said “ruined one of the happiest days of my life.”
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Earlier in the trial, De la Fuente was named as one of those present on the flight from Australia back to Spain — when Rubiales and officials first sought to control the growing scandal — and then at RFEF headquarters in Las Rozas, for a crisis meeting days later.
De la Fuente denied that he had been aware of any discussions on the plane regarding efforts to secure Hermoso’s cooperation.
“After over 36 hours without sleeping, I was very tired,” he said. “I was focused on resting, reading, watching films. I didn’t see anything.”
The Spain coach — who led the men’s team to victory at Euro 2024 — was then asked about his alleged presence at a meeting in Rubiales’ office on Aug. 25, three days later.
On Monday, the Spain women’s press officer Patricia Pérez said in testimony that she had felt pressurised in that meeting — which she described as “an ambush” — to change her account of what had happened with Hermoso, as part of report for the RFEF’s Department of Integrity.
Luis de la Fuente led Spain’s men’s team to Euro 2024 victory. Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
De La Fuente denied any involvement in those discussions, saying that he had instead been present “in an adjacent office.”
“I had a meeting with the president, the only meeting I took part in,” De la Fuente said. “He called me in to talk, 10 days before [I was due to give] a squad list, to talk about football matters with Mr. Rubiales.
“There was the main office, and a smaller office. I was there. He was dealing with other matters and then when he had time, we talked about our things: naming a squad, an initial squad, travel plans… In total, for four or five hours, from midday until around 5 p.m.”
De la Fuente said he was only present in the main presidential office “at midday, when we ate some sandwiches.”
“When I arrived there in the morning — I’ve said publicly that I don’t consume information from the media — they told me there was a growing fuss over the kiss,” De la Fuente said. “But I was only there to discuss issues that concerned me.”
At one point, Judge José-Manuel Fernández Prieto grew impatient with the persistent questioning of De La Fuente.
“He’s a witness who’s been saying for 10 minutes that he doesn’t know anything,” the judge said. “And we appear set on calling him a liar. I’m not saying he is or he isn’t, but let’s continue.”
Rubiales and three other defendants — ex-women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and former RFEF executives Albert Luque and Rubén Rivera — will give evidence later this month.
Prosecutors are seeking a two-and-a-half year prison term for Rubiales, although under Spanish law, defendants given sentences under two years can often avoid jail time by paying damages.
