Former Spain women's soccer coach Jorge Vilda told a court on Wednesday that he attempted to persuade player Jenni Hermoso to downplay the kiss on the mouth his boss Luis Rubiales gave her at the 2023 World Cup but denied he had tried to strong-arm her.

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.

Luis Rubiales, former head of Spain’s soccer federation, disputes soccer star Jenni Hermoso’s version of the kiss.