Manchester City and Spain star Rodri Hernandez has been one of the most talked about players in football over the last six months, after he was crowned European champion with Spain in the summer. In October he also collected the Ballon d’Or, but during the Euro 2024 celebrations, he was in the headlines for his antics off the pitch.
Rodri drew major controversy when he and Alvaro Morata sang ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ to a crowd of thousands at the Cibeles Fountain in central Madrid after they had beaten England in the final. After a furious reaction from the Gibraltarian First Minister, UEFA banned both for one game.
Speaking to Cadena Cope, Rodri was asked about the incident, and how it was received back in England.
“You can imagine what awaited me in England if the English had won, it would have been terrible. Just put yourself in that perspective, in the dressing room I mean.”
What was the reaction in the #ManCity dressing room after you sang 'Gibraltar is Spanish'?
"They didn't even know where #Gibraltar was, I asked them, have you heard about this? And they answered 'what is Gibraltar?"
Rodri on his summer controversy. pic.twitter.com/l4Skd77ZKu
— Football España (@footballespana_) November 13, 2024
Rodri was asked what the reaction was from his Manchester City teammates.
“[How could they be] If they didn’t even know where Gibraltar was, I asked them, have you heard about this? and they answered me that ‘what is Gibraltar?”
Several of the Manchester City dressing room were on the losing side of the Euro 2024 final, but clearly were not that bothered about Rodri’s singing. It is understandable that Gibraltar and the people there would react angrily, but clearly it did not have the same impact on the ground in mainland England.
