A new Netflix documentary, entitled ‘It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football’ (‘#SeAcabó: Diario de las campeonas’ in Spanish, translating to ‘#It’sOver: The Champions’ Diary’) delves into the story behind the kiss that shocked the sporting world and football fanatics all over.
On 20th August 2023 in the team’s first ever world cup final, Spain fought to a victory over England, finishing the match 1-0 with the world title being sealed by left-back Olga Carmona’s goal in the 29th minute.
Despite a missed penalty by forward Jenni Hermosa, the Spanish team were still able to take on the title ‘Las campeonas del mundo’ (‘Champions of the world’) and lift the trophy in only their third world cup.
However, their historic achievement was soon overshadowed by an unexpected moment during the medal ceremony.
After the English team had collected their silver runners-up medals, it was time for the champions to claim their gold.
However, once Hermosa was presented with her medal by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, she was ambushed with a surprise kiss on the lips from Luis Rubiales, who was (at the time) the President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and one of UEFA's vice-presidents.
The moment did not seem to cause any disruptions during the ceremony, but it definitely did not go unnoticed, with outraged viewers immediately calling Rubiales out on social media, commenting that the kiss did not seem consensual.
Later, during an Instagram live, the Spanish team could be seen watching a clip of the kiss, when someone commented “But you did it, ” to which Hermosa replied “What was I supposed to do? Look at me.”
This quote perfectly encapsulates the helplessness that so many women feel when they find themselves in similar situations.
However, this sense of powerlessness had already become a recurrent theme within the Spanish National Team.
Under head coach, Jorge Vilda, the players were repeatedly placed in uncomfortable situations, and felt that their privacy was constantly violated.
For example, “[Vilda] would look in our bags to see what we bought,” shared Lola Gallardo, with Irene Paredes recounting how “He used to come to [their] rooms at night…because he thought it was a good time to… have a chat.” Sandra Paños added, “He used to come into our rooms when we were lying in bed.”
However, when the players spoke out and publicly called for his removal as head coach, still nothing changed.
Later, once fifteen Spanish players had removed themselves from contention for a spot in the national team, they were deeply criticised by both the media and the public.
The media described them as “little girls throwing a tantrum,” showing the deep-rooted misogyny and sexism that continues to exist within the sporting world.
‘#SeAcabó: Diario de las campeonas’ is a powerful documentary that captures the struggles that female players face daily, on and off the pitch, and changes the narrative perspective, showing us the strength of these powerful women in the face of hardship, because, despite their world cup win feeling “overshadowed and tarnished,” and despite the fact that they had to endure unimaginable and unjustifiable events, they have broken down barriers in the sport.
The stand they took was not just for Spain, not just for Spanish women, but for every woman in the world and for every little girl, whether they were paying attention or not. It was for every woman who has stood before them and for every woman who will come after them. This documentary ensures that the true story of the Spanish National Team will not be forgotten, and that their legacy lives on.
