Jenni Hermoso has spoken out after she was kissed on the lips by Luis Rubiales after Spain won the Women's World Cup final on Sunday.
Spain's women's soccer team went up against England in the hotly-anticipated final of the Women's World Cup, which took place in Australia, and ended up winning 1-0.
Following their emotionally-charged win, Hermoso headed to the podium to collect her medal, which was handed to her by FIFA president Gianni Infantin.
It was then that Rubiales, who is Spain's Football Federation president, hugged her and lifted her off her feet. The pair then shared a brief exchange before he put his arms around her and kissed her on the lips.
Rubiales then patted the 33-year-old player on the back as she walked off.
According to Fox Sports, footage from the locker room later showed Rubiales joking that there would be an all-expenses paid trip to Ibiza for the team, adding: "and there, we’ll celebrate my wedding with Jenni!"
Hermoso addressed the moment later during an interview with Spanish TV network La 1, responding: "Eh... yeah, I did not enjoy that."
Rubiales brushed off the criticism about the kiss during an interview with Radio MARCO, explaining: "The kiss with Jenni? There are idiots everywhere. When two people have a minor show of affection, we can't listen to idiocy.
"We are champions and that's what I'll take."
Hermoso also defended Rubiales during a later interview, stating that the moment was a "natural gesture of affection".
She told the Spanish federation, via AFP: "It was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that winning a World Cup brings.
"The president and I have a great relationship, his behavior with all of us has been outstanding and it was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude.
"A gesture of friendship and gratitude cannot be gone over so much, we have won a World Cup and we are not going to deviate from what is important."
Despite Hermosos and Rubiales's comments about the kiss, others have criticized the president for the "deeply inappropriate" way he congratulated the soccer star.
Journalist Colin Millar wrote: "The behaviour of Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales here is not ok. This the highlight of a footballer's career and they are highly emotionally charged. Jenni Hermoso said on Spanish TV of his grab and lip kiss: 'Eh...yeah, I did not enjoy that.'
"It is very clearly deeply inappropriate (at best) to pull someone into you, touch them like that and kiss their lips, without consent. This may be construed as 'laughing about it', or else she is just deeply embarrassed and doesn't want to speak about it."
Another wrote: "anyone else had the creeps with Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales? he was so inappropriate with the players and literally kissed hermoso on the mouth??? she publicly stated that she didnt enjoy it. what tf is going on?"
