Due to the warlike conflict between both countries, Ukraine and Russia are prohibited from facing each other (The Journal)
Unfortunately, sometimes it is very difficult to separate football from politics. As we will review in this article, there are a number of national team matches banned by UEFA, highest level of European football. The reason is none other than the different political tensions between some countries.
Matches banned by UEFA: Taboo encounters
RUSSIA – UKRAINE
The confrontation between Russia and Ukraine Is totally prohibited, not only in relation to national teams but also at the club level. Sometimes it has been necessary to ‘adulterate’ draws for both Europa League and Champions to avoid problems with both hobbies. The War in the Donbass It began in the year 2014 between both countries and worsened in 2022.
SPAIN – GIBRALTAR
In 2013, the TAS forced UEFA to admit Gibraltar as a participating country in the qualifying rounds for the Eurocups. Thus, due to the historical territorial conflict on the Rock, the Spain-Gibraltar is another one of the prohibited teams matches.
ARMENIA – AZERBAIYÁN
Since its independence from the USSR, Armenia and Azerbaijan are at odds over the Nagorno Karabakh enclave, border territory between both countries. This zone, although it belongs to Azerbaijan, has a mostly Armenian population.
KOSOVO, THE MOST ‘PROBLEM’
In case of Kosovo is the trickiest for UEFA. There are three parties that are prohibited with this country as the main protagonist. The Balkan team cannot face even Serbia, this is a Bosnia-Herzegovina, neither to Russia.
But nevertheless, it is striking that a few years ago football was used, precisely, to try to iron out rough edges and unite nations that maintained remarkable political tension. We all remember the game of ‘the two germanies‘ which took place in the World 1974.
The Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic faced each other in a meeting that went down in history (Football passion)
But nevertheless, it is also true that throughout history there have been parties charged with political tension. The Argentina-England of the World Cup in Mexico 1986 is an example of it. Diego Armando Maradona himself acknowledged in subsequent interviews that he used the Malvinas War as the main point to motivate your peers. Something that was confirmed by many of them.
Obviously, the blacklist’ of banned matches is not fixed and can change over time. An example of this is the Russia-Georgia, which was one of the clashes that could not be disputed and that, once the conflict between the two countries has been resolved, can be held normally today.
