Man City's Rodri in hot water for 'Gibraltar is Spanish' chant during Euro celebrations
![Rodri](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.planetsport.com%2Fimage-library%2Fland%2F700%2F1590780_rodri-14-jul-202416.webp&w=3840&q=75)
The Gibraltar FA has announced its intention to lodge an official complaint to UEFA due to Manchester City star Rodri's behaviour during Spain's Euro 2024 celebrations.
The incident has sparked controversy and heightened tensions over the longstanding territorial dispute between Spain and Gibraltar.
Spain triumphed in the European Championships by defeating England 2-1 in a thrilling final held at Berlin's Olympiastadion. The victory marked Spain's fourth European Championship title.
The match saw a dramatic turn of events, with England initially falling behind to a Nico Williams goal. England's Cole Palmer then equalised, setting the stage for what seemed like an impending extra-time showdown.
However, Mikel Oyarzabal clinched the victory for Spain with a late goal, sealing England's fate to a second successive final defeat in the tournament.
Rodri, who was substituted at half-time due to an injury with the score at 0-0, was awarded the Player of the Tournament accolade. Despite his injury, Rodri played a pivotal role in Spain's success throughout the competition.
The celebrations continued in Madrid on Monday night, where Rodri led a chant that translated to "It's Spanish, Gibraltar is Spanish."
This chant has been deemed "extremely provocative and insulting" by the Gibraltar FA, which has criticised Rodri's actions.
"The Gibraltar FA to make official complaint to UEFA following Spanish Men's National Team Euro 2024 celebrations," the statement read.
"The Gibraltar FA has noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish Men's national team winning Euro 2024.
"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."
Gibraltar, a British enclave in the south of Spain since 1713, has been a point of contention as Spain continues to claim sovereignty over the territory.
The Gibraltar FA, a full member of UEFA since 2013, has actively participated in previous World Cup and European Championships qualification campaigns.
The association's decision to file a complaint highlights the sensitivity surrounding the issue and underscores the ongoing diplomatic strain between Gibraltar and Spain.