Spain and Manchester City star Rodri has been charged by UEFA after he chanted about Gibraltar during a Euro 2024 victory event.
His team-mate Alvaro Morata has also been charged by European football’s governing body.
Rodri, who was chosen as player of the tournament, took the microphone during a celebration event in Madrid on July 15 and sang “Gibraltar es Espanol” – Gibraltar is Spanish – leading to a complaint from the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA).
The pair have been charged under Article 11 of UEFA’s disciplinary code. It is alleged they violated the basic rules of decent conduct, used a sporting event for a manifestation of a non-sporting nature, and brought the sport into disrepute.
UEFA said its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) would decide on the matter in due course.
Rodri came off at half-time with the score goalless against England in the final on July 14, but his team triumphed 2-1 without him.
The Gibraltar FA welcomes UEFA opening formal disciplinary proceedings against Rodri and Álvaro Moratahttps://t.co/4bPoxPyBKq
— Gibraltar FA (@GibraltarFA) July 23, 2024
UEFA announced last Friday that an ethics and disciplinary inspector had been appointed to evaluate what had happened at Spain’s celebration event in Madrid.
That followed a complaint from the GFA which described Rodri and Morata’s actions as “deeply offensive”.
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory but is the subject of a territorial claim by Spain.
