SPAIN AIM TO REIGN WITHOUT THE PAIN

Favourites eye closure from kiss row

- BY DARREN WELLS

SPAIN head into Euro 2025 as tournament favourites - as they bid to finally come out of the shadow of the sexism scandal that tainted their 2023 World Cup triumph.

What should have been a moment to savour turned into a nightmare for the World Cup winners after the infamous kiss by former Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales on captain Jenni Hermoso (right) during the trophy ceremony.

It was an incident that Hermoso said had “stained one of the happiest days of my life”.

Two years on and it continues to hang over the team, with Rubiales - who insisted the kiss was consensual - losing an appeal against his sexual assault conviction last week.