What at the time was perhaps seen as a bit of harmless fun for Rodri Hernandez has snowballed into a diplomatic incident this week. The Manchester City star began singing ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ to thousands of people gathered at Cibeles Fountain in Madrid as Spain celebrated their Euro 2024 win.
He was joined by captain Alvaro Morata on the microphone amongst many others, before Morata pointed out that Rodri plays in England – ‘I don’t care’ was his response. The following day, Gibraltar’s Football Association filed a formal complaint to UEFA over the incident.
That was clearly a strong response, but Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo was even stronger on social media with his words. He published on Twitter/X that their singing was ‘worse than disgusting’, and ‘glorifies the dictatorial politics of a mass murderer like Franco and his fascist regime’s attempt to usurp a neighbouring territory.’
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 neighbouring territory, that is also a UEFA nation, is worse than disgusting. It sullies the sport of football and the win… pic.twitter.com/xrnFCqWZ26
— Fabian Picardo (@FabianPicardo) July 16, 2024
It remains to be seen what the reaction will be to Rodri in England upon his return, having added insult to injury with their victory over England in the final of Euro 2024. It remains to be seen whether UEFA will take any action. Like Armenia-Azerbaijan, Serbia-Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina-Kosovo or Belarus-Ukraine, Spain against Gibraltar is a prohibited fixture by UEFA. The Spanish Government agreed with UEFA in 2013 that the two should not clash so that the tie was not used for ‘political means’, as explained by Relevo.
El Caudillo saved Spain from the murdering Communists who were murdering priests and nuns and burning catholic churches, and taking the property of legal land owners. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo has obviously been brain-washed in his accusations against Generalissimo Franco.