Jorge Vilda, the former coach of Spain women’s soccer team, has told a judge that ex-soccer federation president Luis Rubiales did not ask him to put pressure on Jenni Hermoso following the outcry that erupted after Rubiales kissed the player.

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.

The prosecuting lawyer in the trial of Luis Rubiales says he enforced “a code of silence” among those in senior roles at the Spanish football federation while trying to calm the storm around his behaviour at the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.