It’s All Over: New documentary on the kiss that shook Spanish football
Five days after Spain’s historic victory, a defiant Rubiales repeatedly insisted at a RFEF emergency meeting that he would not resign.
Putellas, who was on holiday at the time of the meeting, said she was “outraged”.
She said: “The lies, the attitude, defending himself, but at the same time he was attacking Jenni.
“Those people knew the truth and they applauded him just to protect themselves.”
It was the turning point. Later that day, 81 Spanish players – including all 23 who went to the World Cup – announced they would not play for Spain’s women’s team until Rubiales was removed from his position.
“We wanted a structural change. We needed a change because the system couldn’t remain like that,” Putellas said.
Putellas, who kickstarted the ‘se acabo’ movement which was followed by both her fellow players and wider Spanish society, added: “It had exploded and there was no way back.”
However, it took more than two weeks after the players’ statement to the RFEF and a wave of further condemnation before Rubiales admitted defeat and resigned his position.
The 47-year-old has since been banned from all football-related activities for three years by Fifa, while it was announced earlier this year that he will stand trial for sexual assault over kissing Hermoso without her consent. He denies the charges, and says he is the victim of a “social assassination”.
The players’ boycott finally came to an end when they reached an agreement with the RFEF, which apologised and committed to “immediate and profound changes”.
“The fact that all of our team, as well as players from all over the world, were willing to take a stand, that gave me so much strength for everything. I think it gave me a superpower to confront it and keep going,” Hermoso said in the documentary.
“As a result of this we’ve sent a precedent, and there are so many women who can feel stronger.”
BBC Sport asked the RFEF for its response to the allegations in the documentary, but has yet to receive a response.
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