July 16 – The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) is to file a complaint to the European governing body UEFA after Spanish Euro 2024 winning celebrations targeted the enclave.
In a statement on Tuesday, the GFA said that they “noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish Men’s national team winning Euro 2024” and would following advice file a “complaint to European Football’s governing body, UEFA, in relation to the unacceptable chanting and songs, relating to Gibraltar, sung by Spain’s Men’s National Team players after winning Euro 2024.”
On Sunday, Spain claimed a record-fourth European title with a 2-1 defeat of England in the Euro 2024 final and during the celebrations back home in Madrid, Rodri, Spain’s marquee midfielder chanted, ‘It’s Spanish, Gibraltar is Spanish’ in reference to the British overseas territory.
Alvaro Morata grabbed the mike and said: “Hey Buddy, you play in England.” Rodri replied: “I do not care.”
The sovereignty of Gibraltar has always been a point of contention between the United Kingdom and Spain. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 ceded the enclave to Great Britain in perpetuity.
In 2013, the GFA obtained UEFA membership, allowing its national team and clubs to compete internationally. The GFA had first applied for membership in 1999.
The GFA added: “Football has no place for behaviour of this nature.”
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