‘It’s all over’ – new documentary on the kiss that shook Spanish football

Se acabo.

Those two words – meaning “it’s all over” in English and first posted by midfielder Alexia Putellas on social media – changed Spanish football forever.

Putellas, followed by many others, posted ‘se acabo’ after Spain’s World Cup triumph in 2023 was overshadowed by Luis Rubiales, the country’s football federation president, planting a kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso.

It was a kiss that Rubiales said was consensual, but Hermoso said was not.

Now, Netflix has released a documentary titled ‘It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football’, which addresses the build-up to the tournament, the kiss and the fall out that followed.

BBC Sport looks at the key themes of the documentary.

The kiss

The documentary, which has been translated into English, starts with several players from Spain’s World Cup-winning side speaking about the impact of the kiss.

Later, there is footage of the kiss itself and the moment Rubiales grabbed his crotch while standing next to members of Spain’s royal family after Spain defeated England in the final.

Even in the immediate aftermath, there were questions over his behaviour, but Rubiales, who has denied any wrongdoing, was quick to call the criticism “so stupid” in an interview with Spanish media.

“We didn’t realise at the time. In that moment we were happy for the title,” defender Irene Paredes said.

“Little by little, we realised what happened after. The news and the pressure and comments from the media kept increasing and we knew something big had happened.”

Something big had happened, but for Hermoso it was just the beginning.

The 34-year-old claims she was pressurised by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) to say the kiss was consensual, while she also said some of her friends and family were asked to downplay the incident. The RFEF has not responded to the claims.

“Before getting on the plane, Jenni told me that she was being pressured to give a statement to protect Rubiales,” Amanda Gutierrez, president of players’ union Futpro, said.

“She [Hermoso] said ‘No, why would I do that? I won’t sign anything. I don’t want to give any statements. But I am very stressed out because they won’t stop pressurising me’.”

Arsenal defender Laia Codina added: “Jenni was devastated and she was beginning to understand everything that was happening. We knew we were almost home. She looked worried and scared as well.”

The aftermath

Five days after Spain’s historic victory, a defiant Rubiales repeatedly insisted at a RFEF emergency meeting that he would not resign.

Putellas, who was on holiday at the time of the meeting, said she was “outraged”.

She said: “The lies, the attitude, defending himself, but at the same time he was attacking Jenni.

“Those people knew the truth and they applauded him just to protect themselves.”

It was the turning point. Later that day, 81 Spanish players – including all 23 who went to the World Cup – announced they would not play for Spain’s women’s team until Rubiales was removed from his position.

“We wanted a structural change. We needed a change because the system couldn’t remain like that,” Putellas said.

Putellas, who kickstarted the ‘se acabo’ movement which was followed by both her fellow players and wider Spanish society, added: “It had exploded and there was no way back.”

However, it took more than two weeks after the players’ statement to the RFEF and a wave of further condemnation before Rubiales admitted defeat and resigned his position.

The 47-year-old has since been banned from all football-related activities for three years by Fifa, while it was announced earlier this year that he will stand trial for sexual assault over kissing Hermoso without her consent. He denies the charges, and says he is the victim of a “social assassination”.

The players’ boycott finally came to an end when they reached an agreement with the RFEF, which apologised and committed to “immediate and profound changes”.

“The fact that all of our team, as well as players from all over the world, were willing to take a stand, that gave me so much strength for everything. I think it gave me a superpower to confront it and keep going,” Hermoso said in the documentary.

“As a result of this we’ve sent a precedent, and there are so many women who can feel stronger.”

BBC Sport asked the RFEF for its response to the allegations in the documentary, but has yet to receive a response.

The build-up

The documentary also addresses the fact that Spain’s problems started well before the 2023 World Cup – which they entered as a “broken group” with “no sense of unity” according to Codina.

Jorge Vilda, the manager in charge during Spain’s World Cup triumph, was only the second person to manage La Roja since 1988.

His predecessor Ignacio Quereda was in post for nearly 27 years and resigned only when his entire squad called for his dismissal after their poor performance at the 2015 World Cup.

“He treated us as if we were his little girls,” claimed goalkeeper Lola Gallardo, while fellow keeper Sandra Panos said Quereda would sometimes make “vulgar comments”.

There were problems under Vilda, too.

In September 2022, after a disappointing performance at the Women’s Euros, the RFEF released a statement revealing 15 players had submitted identical emails saying they would not play for Vilda unless “significant” concerns over their “emotional state” and “health” were addressed.

‘Las 15’ – as the players became known – denied claims they had asked for Vilda to be sacked, but tension followed amid reports of concern over training methods and inadequate game preparation.

“Jorge was in charge of everything. He wanted to control everything,” Putellas claimed.

Former Spain player Vero Boquete added: “When you end up in a national team with demanding players, you’re scared of what they’re going to do. He was afraid we would speak out so that’s why he wanted control over us.”

After his sacking, Vilda said he has a “clear conscience” and that personal criticisms were “unfair”.

The documentary conveys the negative media attention received by ‘Las 15’, while Irene Paredes claimed her messages to Rubiales, which she said included requests for improvements to the national team, were leaked to the press.

Spain entered the tournament amid a backdrop of unrest, but when they left as world champions, it was seen as personal victories for both Rubiales and Vilda.

Ivana Andres, who was captain under Vilda, said: “After so much work, after so much effort that we put in, they stole that away from us.”