Gibraltar's Football Association have issued a statement condemning Spain's Euro 2024 celebrations and will now lodge a formal complaint with UEFA.
The statement follows a chant by midfielder Rodri that alluded to the tensions surrounding the island's sovereignty.
The Manchester City midfielder was a key player in Luis De La Fuente's squad that triumphed in Germany, starting six out of the seven matches in the competition and being named Player of the Tournament.
With La Roja already facing issues after Lamine Yamal allegedly broke German law following the final whistle on Sunday, Gibraltar's FA have now called for action to be taken in response to the 'extremely provocative' trophy celebrations in Madrid.
During Spain's victory parade in the capital city on Monday, the 27-year-old news presenter seized the microphone to address the throng of supporters who had gathered to revel in the celebrations. He then began chanting 'Gibraltar is Spanish,' mocking both the colony and the team he had just defeated in the Euro 2024 final, England, as 'the rock' is a British-owned territory.
When Captain Álvaro Morata reminded his teammate that he played his club football in England, Rodri responded by saying that he didn't care. In the hours since, the Gibraltar FA has released a statement regarding the chants and has called for action to be taken.
"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 remains a matter of international controversy between Britain and Spain. While it is officially a British Overseas Territory and headland, it borders Spain's south coast at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula, and most locals speak a Spanish dialect called 'Llanito'.
Spain believes they have a right to claim the territory, but Gibraltarians rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and for shared sovereignty in another referendum in 2002.
It remains a point of contention in diplomatic relations between Spain and the UK.
