After her strong comeback in the first international match after the kissing scandal at the World Cup, Spanish soccer world champion Jennifer Hermoso could “just smile.”
After the substitute striker scored the 1-0 winning goal in the 89th minute in the Nations League game in Italy in Salerno, she was the most celebrated player. “What could be better than coming back, feeling good again and scoring the goal that wins,” Hermoso said.
“Little gifts” from life
Hermoso said she thought about many things: “But life sometimes gives you little gifts, and today I thought about many people who stand behind me.” Thanks to them, she is enjoying football again, emphasized the goalscorer, who scored her 52nd goal in her 102nd international match.
After Spain won the World Cup in Australia, the then association president Luis Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the mouth against her will at the award ceremony. The scene sparked a scandal that reached far beyond Spanish football. A state investigation has been ongoing against Rubiales for over a month, and he reluctantly resigned from his position. The new national coach Montse Tomé called the 33-year-old back into the squad for the games against Italy and against Switzerland on October 31st.