Spain national team players Alvaro Morata and Rodri have received a one-game ban from UEFA for chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” during their Euro 2024 victory celebrations. This decision follows a formal complaint by the Gibraltar Football Association about the players’ conduct.
UEFA cited the players for “failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, violating the basic rules of decent conduct, using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature, and bringing the sport of football and UEFA into disrepute.”
As a result, Rodri, who plays for Manchester City, and Morata, who recently transferred from Atletico Madrid to AC Milan, will miss Spain’s upcoming game against Serbia on September 5, 2024.
The incident occurred during celebrations of Spain’s 2-1 victory over England in the Euro 2024 final at Cibeles Square in Madrid, where the chant was made in front of a large crowd of Spanish fans.
The Gibraltar FA condemned the chant as “extremely provocative and insulting,” stating that such behavior is unacceptable in football. Gibraltar, under British rule since the 18th century, has been a UEFA member since 2013.
