Minnows ‘Rock’ have mountain to climb

Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifying draw may have been the first time most football fans in Ireland realised Gibraltar had an international team which actually played in qualifiers.

This was understandable given Gibraltar only became UEFA’s 54th member last May after overcoming years of opposition from Spanish authorities, with over 15 years of struggle culminating in a third and finally successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Germany, Scotland, Poland and Georgia are also in Group D, for what will be a debut international competition experience for the Mediterraneans. Given the colony (officially a British Overseas Territory) measures 2.3 square miles in area, and has a population of less than 30,000, the feeling is that just taking part in qualifying is a success in itself for the team.