Hermoso accuses former Spain national team coach Wilda of controlling his actions

Spain’s World Cup-winning forward Jenni Hermoso said former national team manager Jorge Vilda instructed him to leave his bedroom door open at night so he could speak to his players individually.

On January 2, Hermoso gave evidence to a Madrid court investigating former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales, who kissed the player without his consent after the World Cup final in August. He is charged with sexual assault and coercion.

Wilda, who was sacked in September and is now Morocco’s national team coach, is also under investigation, along with two other federation officials, for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to support Rubiales.

In an interview with Spanish TV show Planeta Calleja to be aired on Monday, Hermoso spoke about some of the team’s dissatisfaction with the builders, which led many senior players to boycott the national team before last summer’s tournament. Explained in detail.

“I had to leave the door open and wait for them to sleep.” [Vilda] Please stop by tonight and talk to us,” Hermoso said in a clip released Friday ahead of the program.

“He used to say that this was the only moment he had to speak to us privately. Between the time he knocked on the first player’s door and the time he got to the last player, he probably talked to several players. would have been asleep.”

“When we went shopping, he was waiting for us and asked us what was in our bags,” Hermoso added.

Wilda also denies pressuring Hermoso to downplay the incident, as well as any inappropriate behavior toward the players.

“I have been fighting for women’s football for 17 years for the values ​​of respect, equality, teamwork and sporting behavior,” Wilda told Cadena SER radio in September.

Rubiales’ kiss sparked widespread criticism of his actions after Spain’s World Cup final victory.

The former RFEF president was ultimately banned from football-related activities for three years by FIFA and faces a criminal investigation in Madrid. He denies the charges.

On January 2, Hermoso became the last witness to give evidence to the judge who will decide whether Rubiales will stand trial in the future, telling the court that the kiss was “unexpected and in no way consensual.” ” he said.

The forward told Planeta Calleja that he was aware of the possible consequences of filing a police complaint against Rubiales.

“Yes, and it’s also clear to me that if I hadn’t done that, if I had accepted the video recording saying nothing happened at that time, I could have done other things off the field.” ‘That would have helped me a lot,’ Hermoso said.

“But most of all I felt value and strength in doing the right thing. That was the most important thing in that moment.”

Hermoso announced earlier this month that he would be leaving his former club Pachuca in Mexico and signing with rivals Tigres Femenil.