Footballer Jenni Hermoso admitted in an interview with GQ Spain magazine that she received threats following the case that shook women’s football caused by the controversial kiss of Luis Rubiales, former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) during the medal ceremony after the final of the 2023 World Cup, which the Spaniards won in August in a final with England (1-0), was played in Sydney, Australia.
“I had to accept the consequences of an act that I did not provoke, did not choose and did not premeditate. I even received threats and that is something we never get used to,” Jenni Hermoso said in an interview that highlighted points out the fact that she was voted Woman of the Year by that publication, which guaranteed that he had a “very difficult” few weeks.
“Having to tell the story over and over again hurt me a lot. I continue to work with the psychologist who has been with me for several years and thanks to her I feel strong. I am not discouraged and do not think about leaving football .” he revealed, ensuring that mental health is “as important as the daily training or the hours you need to sleep” to perform at a high level in the competition.
The 33-year-old attacker, who represents the Mexican women of Pachuca, believes her case served to raise awareness about issues related to gender equality. “I think a lot of people have become more aware of the meaning of the word feminism,” he said.
Hermoso recalled that his generation lives “in the first person, the struggle for equality”, something that has caused them problems: “They called us capricious. They always said that we wanted to earn the same as men, but that is not true. I We get very angry when they say that women’s football does not yield as much as women’s football. Of course we know this and we just wanted the basics, like a minimum wage, that they respect us and give us the opportunity to do something great. And when we got this circumstances, we won a world championship,” he emphasized.
The controversy with Rubiales turned her into a kind of symbol of women’s football, something she interprets in such a way that she wants to be remembered “as someone who wanted to leave Spain at the top”, but above all “as someone who tried to change many mentalities”. And that’s why he makes it a point to “learn to use” the controversy surrounding non-consensual kissing in “a positive way to fight” for what he believes is “good for society.” Jenni Hermoso assumes explains that the #SeAcabó movement, which emerged after the dismissal of Luis Rubiales, during which FIFA suspended him for three years, should “herald a new era”.
The Spain international admits that her thoughts have been “a little bit off football” in recent months “with everything that has happened”. “I only remembered for a moment that I was a footballer, but now I want to give the best version of myself again and continue to enjoy this sport,” said the Madrid native, who changed the face of women’s football in Spain forever.
Source: DN
