Spain's World Cup women won on the pitch, then sparked their country's #SeAcabo MeToo moment when their own federation president kissed a player against her will on the global stage.
Today, Explained
Spain's World Cup women won on the pitch, then sparked their country's #SeAcabo MeToo moment when their own federation president kissed a player against her will on the global stage.
TL;DR
Spain's World Cup-winning women's team became the center of a global reckoning when federation president Luis Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso without her consent during the trophy ceremony [1] — Lane Greene "The backlash against Rubiales was striking not just for its size, but its political breadth. In a country with its own culture wars, the ne…" 15:20 . Writer Gwendolyn Oxenham and Economist Madrid bureau chief Lane Greene trace the team's unlikely road to glory amid federation dysfunction [2] — Gwendolyn Oxenham "Before the World Cup final, Spain's squad made a pact: play like kids. After absorbing a group-stage loss to Japan, they found unity in joy…" 06:20 , then unpack why Spain — a country that went from Franco-era conservatism to one of Europe's most feminist societies in decades — erupted in near-unanimous outrage [3] — Lane Greene "#SeAcabo — 'it's over' — became Spain's answer to MeToo. Lane Greene argues it will be remembered alongside Harvey Weinstein and George Flo…" 23:55 . The #SeAcabo movement is being called Spain's MeToo moment, and the biggest takeaway is that winning the World Cup was only half the victory.
Spain's World Cup-winning women used the viral hashtag #SeAcabo ('it's over') to turn an unwanted kiss by federation president Luis Rubiales into a feminist reckoning, calling it Spain's MeToo moment.
The episode opens on a shareable image: a cartoon posted by Spanish player Misa Rodríguez in which a girl asks her grandmother how Spain won the World Cup, and the grandmother replies they won 'much more.' Sean Rameswaram translates the caption — '¡Se acabó!' (It's over!) — and promises a story about a triumph that goes beyond football. After sponsor messages for Fetch Pet Insurance and ServiceNow, a brief comedic teaser hands off to the main episode.
Before the main interview begins, a short segment mimics a football commentary call — 'Halima Shaw passes to Hadi Mawaddi… it's Today Explained!' — before Sean Rameswaram introduces Gwendolyn Oxenham. She briefly outlines her credentials: professional football career in Brazil with Santos, college play at Duke, and current work writing for Sports Illustrated and ESPN, plus her audio docuseries Hustle Rule about the untold stories of women's soccer.
Spain's men's team has long been revered globally, but the women's side spent decades fighting for basic recognition — jerseys, a domestic league, respectful treatment. It was only in 2021 that a full professional league arrived, finally giving players a taste of what professional infrastructure looked like [1] — Gwendolyn Oxenham "Spain's pro women's league founded in 2021: Spain did not have a full domestic professional women's football league until 2021, decades aft…" 03:15 . The relationship with the federation had already frayed when, in September 2022, 15 players signed a letter refusing call-ups until coaching and management conditions improved. France had faced something similar and appointed a new coach; Spain's federation simply sidelined the protesters and built a new team. Only 3 of the 15 were included in the World Cup squad. That replacement side — unfamiliar names beside a few veterans — surprised the world. They beat Zambia 5-0 in their opener (Zambia had just beaten Germany), lost to Japan in a match that paradoxically forged their unity, and carried a joyful ethos all the way to the final, where their pre-match mantra was simply: 'Let's play like kids.'
After Spain lifted the World Cup trophy, the celebration on the presentation stage quickly became something else entirely. Rubiales grabbed his own crotch in front of the Queen and Princess of Spain, then pulled Jenni Hermoso's face toward him and kissed her on the lips [1] — Gwendolyn Oxenham "After Spain lifted the World Cup trophy, federation president Luis Rubiales grabbed player Jenni Hermoso's face and kissed her on the lips.…" 08:00 . In the locker room shortly after, Hermoso was shown the footage on Instagram Live — and her face said everything. 'What was I supposed to do? I didn't like it.' But on radio that same day, she downplayed the incident, deflecting with 'it was the emotion of the moment,' because she wanted the conversation to be about the football, not about being kissed. The media storm grew regardless, as cameras replayed the moment around the world, and public pressure began to build on Rubiales to account for his behaviour.
The Spanish Football Association called a general assembly at which Rubiales was widely expected to resign. Instead, he appeared defiant, insisting 'I will not resign' to stunned silence [1] — Luis Rubiales "I will not resign. I will not resign." 10:10 . He claimed the kiss was consensual — that he had asked for 'un pico' and she had agreed. Jenni Hermoso issued a direct counter-statement: 'I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss. I don't tolerate that my word is questioned' [2] — Jenni Hermoso "I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss. I don't tolerate that my word is questioned." 10:27 . The federation initially backed Rubiales, accusing Hermoso of lying. The full squad of World Cup winners issued a communiqué saying they would not represent Spain until Rubiales was removed. His mother locked herself in a church, framing the backlash as a 'witch hunt.' Spanish prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into whether the kiss constituted sexual assault [3] — Gwendolyn Oxenham "FIFA suspended Rubiales for 90 days: FIFA suspended Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales for 90 days following the non-conse…" 12:37 . FIFA handed Rubiales a 90-day suspension. Spain's deputy prime minister declared that anyone applauding a 'presumed sexual aggression' should not remain in their position.
Between the two main interview segments, Today Explained runs ad reads for Mint Mobile (unlimited talk, text, and data on the nation's largest 5G network for $15/month at mintmobile.com/explain) and Pipedrive (an intelligent CRM for small and medium businesses with a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.com/explained). The break provides a transition point between Gwendolyn Oxenham's sports-focused account of events and Lane Greene's broader societal and political analysis.
Lane Greene opens by reframing the public outrage at Rubiales as actually good news: it demonstrates how profoundly Spanish society has changed [2] — Lane Greene "Under Franco, Spanish women needed permission to travel, open bank accounts, or live independently. When he died in 1975, decades of suppre…" 16:45 . Under Franco, whose dictatorship lasted 36 years until 1975, women needed permission to travel, open bank accounts, or live independently [1] — Lane Greene "Franco dictatorship lasted 36 years: Francisco Franco's national Catholic dictatorship, which required women to seek permission for basic a…" 16:50 . After his death, suppressed freedoms burst out in what Greene calls 'a cork coming out of a bottle' — a rapid explosion of sexual liberation and feminist consciousness in the 1980s. Today, Spain's government has 13 female ministers out of 24, holding powerful portfolios like Defense, Finance, and Economy — not just the traditional 'soft' roles like culture. Spain's first three deputy prime ministers have all been women. Greene stresses that outsiders tend to imagine Spain in old Southern European terms, but residents see a country more like Scandinavia on gender equality than like its Francoist past. The remaining gap, he notes, is in elite sport and corporate leadership — precisely the arena where the Rubiales scandal erupted.
Lane Greene draws a distinction between Spain's progress in political and civic life and the slower evolution in sport and corporate culture, which he identifies as the last remaining holdouts of unreformed machismo [1] — Lane Greene "The backlash against Rubiales was striking not just for its size, but its political breadth. In a country with its own culture wars, the ne…" 15:20 . Crucially, the reaction to Rubiales has been nearly unanimous: barely a voice in the Spanish media defended him. One television presenter mused whether men were now even allowed to help a woman with her luggage — and was immediately met with a chorus of commentators saying, 'Yes, if you ask first. You just don't kiss employees without their will.' Greene also highlights the remarkable scale of Spanish women's sports: the Barcelona women's team set the world attendance record for any women's sporting event when 91,000 fans packed Camp Nou for a Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg [2] — Lane Greene "91,000 fans at women's Champions League semi: Barcelona's women's team set the all-time attendance record for a women's sporting event anyw…" 20:55 . The contrast is stark — a country that fills stadiums for women's football, yet whose federation president acts as if the rules of consent don't apply to him.
The episode closes on Lane Greene's most expansive claim: that #SeAcabo is not just a football story or even just a feminist story — it's a cultural inflection point [1] — Lane Greene "#SeAcabo — 'it's over' — became Spain's answer to MeToo. Lane Greene argues it will be remembered alongside Harvey Weinstein and George Flo…" 23:55 . He draws direct comparisons to the US MeToo reckoning triggered by Harvey Weinstein and to the social shift catalysed by the murder of George Floyd, predicting that Spaniards will recall this moment two decades hence as marking a permanent change. He describes it as a 'double win' for Spain's women: they beat England and every other opponent on the pitch, and then they put their collective foot down and said no [2] — Lane Greene "Winning the World Cup was one victory. Standing up to Rubiales and triggering a national reckoning was another. Lane Greene calls it a 'dou…" 24:50 . Crucially, he insists the implications extend beyond sport — to how bosses treat employees in any workplace, to how everyday power dynamics are challenged. Spain's feminist progress has been both spectacular and uneven, but this moment has a chance to level the remaining field.
Sean Rameswaram wraps up by crediting producer Haleema Shah, editor Miranda Kennedy, fact-checkers Laura Bullard and Hady Mawajdeh, and mixer David Herman, along with thanks to contributors Alana Casanova Burgess and Daniela Larcón. The closing section runs sponsor messages for Fetch Pet Insurance (free quote at fetchpet.com/save) and KPMG's Adaptability Index (kpmg.com/us/adaptability), before the episode concludes.
Chapter 2 · 02:19
Before the main interview begins, a short segment mimics a football commentary call — 'Halima Shaw passes to Hadi Mawaddi… it's Today Explained!' — before Sean Rameswaram introduces Gwendolyn Oxenham. She briefly outlines her credentials: professional football career in Brazil with Santos, college play at Duke, and current work writing for Sports Illustrated and ESPN, plus her audio docuseries Hustle Rule about the untold stories of women's soccer.
Fifteen of Spain's best players boycotted the national team to protest the coach and federation conditions. The federation's response? Build a new team without them. That B-team went on to win the World Cup.
Chapter 3 · 02:45
Spain's men's team has long been revered globally, but the women's side spent decades fighting for basic recognition — jerseys, a domestic league, respectful treatment. It was only in 2021 that a full professional league arrived, finally giving players a taste of what professional infrastructure looked like [1] — Gwendolyn Oxenham "Spain's pro women's league founded in 2021: Spain did not have a full domestic professional women's football league until 2021, decades aft…" 03:15 . The relationship with the federation had already frayed when, in September 2022, 15 players signed a letter refusing call-ups until coaching and management conditions improved. France had faced something similar and appointed a new coach; Spain's federation simply sidelined the protesters and built a new team. Only 3 of the 15 were included in the World Cup squad. That replacement side — unfamiliar names beside a few veterans — surprised the world. They beat Zambia 5-0 in their opener (Zambia had just beaten Germany), lost to Japan in a match that paradoxically forged their unity, and carried a joyful ethos all the way to the final, where their pre-match mantra was simply: 'Let's play like kids.'
Spain did not have a full domestic professional women's football league until 2021, decades after the men's league was established and long after comparable nations.
Fifteen Spanish women's players signed an email refusing to be called up until team conditions and the coach's management style improved, but were largely shut out instead of heard.
Spain opened the World Cup with a 5-0 victory over Zambia — a team that had just previously beaten Germany — in a display of spectacular, beautiful football.
Only 3 of the 15 players who boycotted were on the World Cup squad; the federation rebuilt with a largely new, unproven team that most people didn't expect to win.
Before the World Cup final, Spain's squad made a pact: play like kids. After absorbing a group-stage loss to Japan, they found unity in joy, and that spirit turned a controversial, untested squad into world champions.
After Spain lifted the World Cup trophy, federation president Luis Rubiales grabbed player Jenni Hermoso's face and kissed her on the lips. What followed was a viral moment, a denial of consent, and the start of Spain's #SeAcabo reckoning.
Chapter 4 · 08:05
After Spain lifted the World Cup trophy, the celebration on the presentation stage quickly became something else entirely. Rubiales grabbed his own crotch in front of the Queen and Princess of Spain, then pulled Jenni Hermoso's face toward him and kissed her on the lips [1] — Gwendolyn Oxenham "After Spain lifted the World Cup trophy, federation president Luis Rubiales grabbed player Jenni Hermoso's face and kissed her on the lips.…" 08:00 . In the locker room shortly after, Hermoso was shown the footage on Instagram Live — and her face said everything. 'What was I supposed to do? I didn't like it.' But on radio that same day, she downplayed the incident, deflecting with 'it was the emotion of the moment,' because she wanted the conversation to be about the football, not about being kissed. The media storm grew regardless, as cameras replayed the moment around the world, and public pressure began to build on Rubiales to account for his behaviour.
Rather than resign, Rubiales gave a defiant speech denying the kiss was non-consensual and accused Jenni Hermoso of lying. His mother locked herself in a church on a hunger strike. Prosecutors opened a criminal sexual assault investigation. FIFA suspended him for 90 days.
Chapter 5 · 11:00
The Spanish Football Association called a general assembly at which Rubiales was widely expected to resign. Instead, he appeared defiant, insisting 'I will not resign' to stunned silence [1] — Luis Rubiales "I will not resign. I will not resign." 10:10 . He claimed the kiss was consensual — that he had asked for 'un pico' and she had agreed. Jenni Hermoso issued a direct counter-statement: 'I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss. I don't tolerate that my word is questioned' [2] — Jenni Hermoso "I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss. I don't tolerate that my word is questioned." 10:27 . The federation initially backed Rubiales, accusing Hermoso of lying. The full squad of World Cup winners issued a communiqué saying they would not represent Spain until Rubiales was removed. His mother locked herself in a church, framing the backlash as a 'witch hunt.' Spanish prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into whether the kiss constituted sexual assault [3] — Gwendolyn Oxenham "FIFA suspended Rubiales for 90 days: FIFA suspended Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales for 90 days following the non-conse…" 12:37 . FIFA handed Rubiales a 90-day suspension. Spain's deputy prime minister declared that anyone applauding a 'presumed sexual aggression' should not remain in their position.
Luis Rubiales' mother locked herself in a church and went on a hunger strike, demanding the 'witch hunt' against her son be stopped.
FIFA suspended Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales for 90 days following the non-consensual kiss incident at the World Cup trophy ceremony.
Chapter 6 · 13:40
Between the two main interview segments, Today Explained runs ad reads for Mint Mobile (unlimited talk, text, and data on the nation's largest 5G network for $15/month at mintmobile.com/explain) and Pipedrive (an intelligent CRM for small and medium businesses with a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.com/explained). The break provides a transition point between Gwendolyn Oxenham's sports-focused account of events and Lane Greene's broader societal and political analysis.
The backlash against Rubiales was striking not just for its size, but its political breadth. In a country with its own culture wars, the near-unanimity of the criticism — across parties, media, and public — signals how far Spain has moved on gender.
Chapter 7 · 15:25
Lane Greene opens by reframing the public outrage at Rubiales as actually good news: it demonstrates how profoundly Spanish society has changed [2] — Lane Greene "Under Franco, Spanish women needed permission to travel, open bank accounts, or live independently. When he died in 1975, decades of suppre…" 16:45 . Under Franco, whose dictatorship lasted 36 years until 1975, women needed permission to travel, open bank accounts, or live independently [1] — Lane Greene "Franco dictatorship lasted 36 years: Francisco Franco's national Catholic dictatorship, which required women to seek permission for basic a…" 16:50 . After his death, suppressed freedoms burst out in what Greene calls 'a cork coming out of a bottle' — a rapid explosion of sexual liberation and feminist consciousness in the 1980s. Today, Spain's government has 13 female ministers out of 24, holding powerful portfolios like Defense, Finance, and Economy — not just the traditional 'soft' roles like culture. Spain's first three deputy prime ministers have all been women. Greene stresses that outsiders tend to imagine Spain in old Southern European terms, but residents see a country more like Scandinavia on gender equality than like its Francoist past. The remaining gap, he notes, is in elite sport and corporate leadership — precisely the arena where the Rubiales scandal erupted.
Under Franco, Spanish women needed permission to travel, open bank accounts, or live independently. When he died in 1975, decades of suppression burst out in what Lane Greene calls 'a cork coming out of a bottle' — a rapid feminist revolution that made Spain more like Scandinavia than its own recent past.
Francisco Franco's national Catholic dictatorship, which required women to seek permission for basic activities like travel and banking, lasted 36 years until his death in 1975.
Spain's current government has 13 female ministers out of 24 — and they're not holding the traditional 'soft' portfolios like culture. They hold Defense, Finance, Economy, and Labor. Plus, Spain's first three deputy prime ministers were all women.
Spain's current government cabinet is more than half female, with women holding the most powerful ministries including Economy, Finance, Defense, Industry, and Labor.
Spain has 13 female ministers out of 24 total, including holders of traditionally male-dominated portfolios like Defense and Finance.
Despite having more than half of its cabinet as women and three consecutive female deputy prime ministers, Spain has never had a woman as prime minister.
Chapter 8 · 20:00
Lane Greene draws a distinction between Spain's progress in political and civic life and the slower evolution in sport and corporate culture, which he identifies as the last remaining holdouts of unreformed machismo [1] — Lane Greene "The backlash against Rubiales was striking not just for its size, but its political breadth. In a country with its own culture wars, the ne…" 15:20 . Crucially, the reaction to Rubiales has been nearly unanimous: barely a voice in the Spanish media defended him. One television presenter mused whether men were now even allowed to help a woman with her luggage — and was immediately met with a chorus of commentators saying, 'Yes, if you ask first. You just don't kiss employees without their will.' Greene also highlights the remarkable scale of Spanish women's sports: the Barcelona women's team set the world attendance record for any women's sporting event when 91,000 fans packed Camp Nou for a Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg [2] — Lane Greene "91,000 fans at women's Champions League semi: Barcelona's women's team set the all-time attendance record for a women's sporting event anyw…" 20:55 . The contrast is stark — a country that fills stadiums for women's football, yet whose federation president acts as if the rules of consent don't apply to him.
Barcelona's women's team drew 91,000 fans to Camp Nou for a Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg — the largest crowd ever recorded for a women's sporting event anywhere in the world. Spanish women's sport isn't ignored; it's a mainstream phenomenon.
Barcelona's women's team set the all-time attendance record for a women's sporting event anywhere in the world, packing 91,000 fans into Camp Nou for a Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg.
#SeAcabo — 'it's over' — became Spain's answer to MeToo. Lane Greene argues it will be remembered alongside Harvey Weinstein and George Floyd as a moment that marked a permanent shift in how Spanish society tolerates sexism, not just on the pitch but in every workplace.
Chapter 9 · 24:00
The episode closes on Lane Greene's most expansive claim: that #SeAcabo is not just a football story or even just a feminist story — it's a cultural inflection point [1] — Lane Greene "#SeAcabo — 'it's over' — became Spain's answer to MeToo. Lane Greene argues it will be remembered alongside Harvey Weinstein and George Flo…" 23:55 . He draws direct comparisons to the US MeToo reckoning triggered by Harvey Weinstein and to the social shift catalysed by the murder of George Floyd, predicting that Spaniards will recall this moment two decades hence as marking a permanent change. He describes it as a 'double win' for Spain's women: they beat England and every other opponent on the pitch, and then they put their collective foot down and said no [2] — Lane Greene "Winning the World Cup was one victory. Standing up to Rubiales and triggering a national reckoning was another. Lane Greene calls it a 'dou…" 24:50 . Crucially, he insists the implications extend beyond sport — to how bosses treat employees in any workplace, to how everyday power dynamics are challenged. Spain's feminist progress has been both spectacular and uneven, but this moment has a chance to level the remaining field.
The hashtag #SeAcabo ('it's over') went viral in Spain after the Rubiales kiss incident, with commentators comparing it to the US MeToo movement and Harvey Weinstein reckoning.
Winning the World Cup was one victory. Standing up to Rubiales and triggering a national reckoning was another. Lane Greene calls it a 'double win' — and says the second victory has implications that stretch far beyond football, into every workplace in Spain.
No indexed bits in this chapter.
After Spain lifted the World Cup trophy, federation president Luis Rubiales grabbed player Jenni Hermoso's face and kissed her on the lips. What followed was a viral moment, a denial of consent, and the start of Spain's #SeAcabo reckoning.
#SeAcabo — 'it's over' — became Spain's answer to MeToo. Lane Greene argues it will be remembered alongside Harvey Weinstein and George Floyd as a moment that marked a permanent shift in how Spanish society tolerates sexism, not just on the pitch but in every workplace.
This episode
Factual claims made this episode, and whether a source was named.
Spain did not have a full domestic professional women's football league until 2021.
15 Spanish women's national team players signed an email in September (the previous year) refusing call-ups until team conditions and the coach's management style improved.
Only 3 of the 15 boycotting players were included in Spain's 2023 Women's World Cup squad.
Spain beat Zambia 5-0 at the 2023 Women's World Cup, despite Zambia having previously beaten Germany.
Francisco Franco led Spain for 36 years under a national Catholic dictatorship in which women needed permission to travel, open bank accounts, and live independently.
Francisco Franco died in 1975, inside the Pardo Palace, 8 miles from Madrid.
Spain's current government has more than half of its cabinet positions held by women, including the most powerful ministries: Economy, Finance, Defense, Industry, and Labor.
Spain has 13 female ministers out of 24 total cabinet members.
Spain's first three deputy prime ministers have all been women.
Barcelona women's team set the world attendance record for any women's sporting event anywhere, packing 91,000 people into Barcelona's Camp Nou for a Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg.
FIFA suspended Rubiales for 90 days following the non-consensual kiss incident.
Spanish prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into whether Rubiales' kiss of Hermoso constituted sexual assault.
According to a pet insurance company study, every 6 seconds a pet owner in the US gets hit with a vet bill over $1,000.
This episode
President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation who kissed World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso without consent at the trophy ceremony, triggering the #SeAcabo scandal.
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, which Spain won — and whose trophy ceremony became the flashpoint for the Rubiales-Hermoso kiss scandal.
Spain's World Cup-winning player who was kissed without consent by Rubiales at the trophy ceremony and became the face of the #SeAcabo movement.
Spanish dictator whose 36-year Catholic authoritarian rule suppressed women's rights; his death in 1975 triggered Spain's rapid social liberalisation.
Referenced by Lane Greene as the catalyst for the US MeToo movement, to which Spain's #SeAcabo reckoning was directly compared.
Spain's football governing body, whose long history of ignoring players' welfare demands and whose president's actions sparked the #SeAcabo movement.
Spanish football club whose women's team set the world attendance record for a women's sporting event and whose stars were notably absent from the World Cup squad.
World football governing body that suspended Rubiales for 90 days following the non-consensual kiss incident at the Women's World Cup trophy ceremony.
Publication whose Madrid bureau chief Lane Greene provided expert commentary on Spanish feminism, politics, and the Rubiales scandal.
Central subject of the episode: its women's national football team won the 2023 World Cup, and the aftermath sparked a national feminist reckoning.
Team that defeated Spain in the group stage of the 2023 Women's World Cup, a defeat that paradoxically united the Spanish squad.
Spain's first group-stage opponent at the 2023 Women's World Cup, beaten 5-0 despite having previously defeated Germany.
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