Gibraltar’s Football Association (FA) has lodged a complaint with European football’s governing body UEFA over “extremely provocative and insulting” celebrations by players of Spain’s national team following their European Championship success.
The Spain squad held a victory parade in Madrid on Monday and gathered at the city’s Cibeles fountain, where players took to a stage in front of fans to celebrate their success — having defeated England 2-1 in the final the previous day.
In footage widely circulated on social media, Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri — who was named as the tournament’s best player — took the microphone on stage and chanted: “It’s Spanish, Gibraltar is Spanish” — referencing the peninsula at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, which is British territory.
Gibraltar became a British territory in 1713, after Anglo-Dutch forces had captured the peninsula from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession nine years previously. In 1967, its population rejected Spanish sovereignty in a referendum and in 2002 they rejected shared sovereignty between Spain and the United Kingdom.
Spain still claim sovereignty over the peninsula with its government stating: “Spain does not recognise the occupation of the isthmus or the fence as a border.”
Madrid’s Cibeles fountain hosted the Spain squad’s homecoming Euro 2024 celebrations on Monday (Diego Radames/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Gibraltar was recognised as a full UEFA member in May 2013 and later that year, UEFA decided to keep Gibraltar and Spain apart in qualification groups for major tournaments due to “sensitivities” between the nations.
Following Spain’s celebrations on Monday, the Gibraltar FA described the references as “extremely provocative and insulting”.
A statement continued: “The association is this morning taking advice on the filing of 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.
“Football has no place for behaviour of this nature.”
The matter is now likely to go before a UEFA disciplinary body.
The Athletic has contacted the Spanish Football Federation for comment.
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(Diego Radames/Anadolu via Getty Images)