Spain women’s coach Montse Tomé has told a judge she was not trying to punish Jenni Hermoso by omitting her from the national team in the fallout of the kiss by former soccer federation president Luis Rubiales.

Spain manager Montse Tome on Monday denied "punishing" Jenni Hermoso by dropping her after ex-football federation chief Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed her at the 2023 Women's World Cup final. Hermoso,

Spain women's coach Montse Tome testified before a judge Monday, denying that she omitted Jenni Hermoso from the national team as a form of

Members of Spain's women's national team have testified in a Madrid court this week as the trial over Luis Rubiales' forced kiss on Jenni Hermoso at the 2023 Women's World Cup final begins.

Former RFEF boss Luis Rubiales' unsolicited kiss killed Jenni Hermoso's joy at winning the women's World Cup in 2023 and she was overwhelmed, crying and exhausted in the following hours and days, three of her teammates testified on Thursday.

Rubiales forcibly kissed Hermoso during the ceremony for Spain's World Cup win, which Hermoso said "stained" the celebrations.

Teammates of Jenni Hermoso have corroborated her account of being distraught and angered by the World Cup kiss from former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales when they testified at his sexual assault trial.