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Two members of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad have been charged by UEFA with “extremely provocative” behavior after making references to British-ruled Gibraltar during their celebrations.
Captain Alvaro Morata and vice-captain Rodri, who were awarded the tournament’s player of the tournament award in Germany this month, are in trouble following a complaint from the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA).
Last week, celebrations took place in Madrid’s Plaza Cibeles, where tens of thousands of supporters cheered on the team that had defeated England in the final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium the day before.
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Manchester City’s Rodri chanted “Gibraltar belongs to Spain”, and AC Milan’s Morata encouraged fans to chant along.
Gibraltar has been a British overseas territory since the 18th century and its sovereignty has always been controversial.
UEFA accused Morata and Rodri of “breaching the general rules of conduct, violating fundamental rules of decent behaviour, exploiting a sporting event for activities of a non-sporting nature and bringing the sport of football and UEFA in particular into disrepute”.
The Spanish Football Federation filed a complaint about the nature of the chants, stating that “the celebrations of the Spanish men’s national team winning Euro 2024 were extremely provocative and insulting” and that “such behavior should not occur on football fields.”
Gibraltar has its own national team and has been a full member of UEFA since 2013. Its men’s team is ranked 198th in the world.
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) will make a decision on the issue “in due course”.
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