MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar furious with Euro2024 chants, mixing sports celebration with politics “disgusting”

During celebrations, Spanish player Rodri, who plays for Manchester City, called on the crowd to sing “Gibraltar Español”, with the rest of the team following suit

The Gibraltar Football Association will make a formal complaint to UEFA against the Spanish national team following Monday’s Euro 2024 champions parade in Madrid, where the team sang “Gibraltar Español” on stage.

After Spain’s victory over England in Euro 2024, the Spanish national team celebrated with a traditional open bus tour through Madrid and presented the trophy before their supporters.

Rodri: “¡Es español, Gibraltar es español!”.

Morata: “Que tú juegas en Inglaterra, socio”.

Rodri: “Me da igual”.

HONOR pic.twitter.com/M3ttgub3zl

— Unai Cano (@unaicano10) July 15, 2024

During the celebrations, Spanish national player Rodri, who plays for Manchester City, called on the crowd to sing “Gibraltar Español”, with the rest of the team following suit and singing on stage along with the crowd.

A spokesperson for the Gibraltar FA said that the actions prompted an immediate response, and the Association started the process for a formal complaint before UEFA that same evening.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday morning, the Association labeled the chant as “extremely provocative and insulting”.

“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,” the GFA said.
“Football has no place for behavior of this nature.“

The Spanish national team’s celebration, broadcast live across numerous online media services, was viral and received thousands of views.

The chants also prompted response from the Gibraltar Government who called it “disappointing”.

”The Government of Gibraltar is disappointed to note that several players of the Spanish male national football team celebrated their European Cup win with chants of rancid remarks about Gibraltar,” a statement from No6 Convent Place said.

“This is a totally unnecessary mixing of a great sporting success with discriminatory political statements that are hugely offensive to Gibraltarians.”

“The lamentable use of the platform of celebrations around winning the Euro Cup for advancing the idea of usurping the territory of Gibraltar is contrary to the principle that sport should not be used to advance any politically controversial ideology.“

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo criticized the chant calling it “disgusting” via X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.

“Mixing a sporting victory and the chant that glorifies the dictatorial politics of a mass murderer like Franco and his fascist regime's attempt to usurp a neighboring territory, that is also a UEFA nation, is worse than disgusting,” Mr Picardo posted.

“It sullies the sport of football and the win on the pitch. I fully support Gibraltar FA making a complaint to UEFA about this behavior by some Spanish players in celebration of winning EURO2024.

“This cannot stand unchallenged. The Rock is ours.”

Leader of the Opposition Keith Azopardi publicly condemned the actions on social media via X.

”When two Madrid-born players urge the crowd to sing the political statement 'Gibraltar is Spanish,' this isn’t football, celebration, or the signs of a New Spain,” Mr Azopardi posted.

“As role models, it sends a clear message to young people that old Franco-style views that ignore our rights as a [Gibraltarian] people are OK. They aren’t. That Rodri earns and Morata earned their habichuelas in England is beyond irony.”

Juan Jose Uceda, spokesman for cross-border workers’ association Ascteg, called the incident “shameful, outrageous, [and] out of control”.

Mr Uceda said the incident could “endanger relations” but said that this is “nothing new” and a “bad side” of Gibraltar and Spain’s history.

He added that the actions made him feel “worried and embarrassed” for Rodri and the Spanish team.

Mr Uceda said Ascteg will continue doing their job and “expect this to be forgotten”.

The GFA spokesperson added that this was not the first instance in which Spanish national team players have engaged in such chants, although previous occasions were away from official events and did not receive any sanctions from UEFA.

Due to the chants taking place during an official celebration this incident has greater significance.

UEFA regulates the actions of players, officials and members, who use insulting language and this could lead to a temporary suspension. UEFA has not yet responded to the Chronicle’s request for comment.(Gibraltar Chronicle)