After a 14 year fight, Gibraltar were finally accepted into UEFA last year. That it took so long makes a mockery of the European governing body’s claims of ‘politics have no place in football’. Which doesn’t explain how Spain stamping their feet and throwing a wobbly denied a nation from representing itself on the European stage for so long but I digress…
The Gibraltarians might be allowed to enter the European Championship qualifiers but not the World Cup as of yet. Whether FIFA will allow them in down the line is unknown but at least the Rock has some recognised international football to play. They kicked off their ‘official’ internationals with a 0-0 draw with Slovakia before defeats to the Faroe Island and Estonia so there’s plenty of work to be done.
They have to play ‘home’ games in Faro, Portugal, with the Gibraltar national stadium not up to UEFA standard. They do, however, have a new 10,000 seater stadium being built on the Rock. In terms of non-FIFA, the Gibraltarians have competed in most Island Games, winning it in 2007.
I’ve been after a Gibraltar shirt for some time and was hoping to get a Hummel one but have yet to find one for a decent price. I bit the bullet and purchased one of their new shirts by Admiral. You may remember them for making brilliant England shirts in years gone by and this effort for Gibraltar is also a fantastic design.
The men from the Rock have finally defeated the powers that be to play international football. They are the smallest member of UEFA with a population of just 30,000. For England fans disillusioned with the national side, Gibraltar offers a brilliant underdog alternative to root for.
No FIFA? No Problem! 