Alvaro Morata And Rodri Banned For ‘Gibraltar Is Spanish’ Chant

Spanish players Alvaro Morata and Rodri have been given one-match bans for their behavior during a Euro 2024 presentation in Madrid last month, European soccer’s governing body said on Wednesday.

The players sang “Gibraltar is Spanish” on July 15, the day after their 2-1 European Championship final victory over England, during a public celebration in the Spanish capital. Gibraltar is a British territory located at the southern tip of Spain.

UEFA said that the sanction was imposed for not adhering to the fundamental principles of conduct, breaching the essential standards of proper behavior, leveraging sporting events for non-sporting expressions, and tarnishing the reputation of football.

The ban will cover the next UEFA international match for which the players would otherwise be eligible.