GIBRALTAR

As the smallest member state in UEFA - the surface area is only 6.8km2 - Gibraltar was always high on our list of footballing nations to visit.

Located at the foot of the Spanish peninsula, this British overseas territory became a member of UEFA in 2013 and followed that up with FIFA membership three years later. It has its own league and cup competitions, while its clubs are eligible to play European football and Lincoln Red Imps have now qualified for the Conference League three times.

It was the all-powerful Red Imps whom we watched in action on our visit. They were up against Bruno’s Magpies, a football club founded in a pub, in the final of the Rock Cup. And the game was about as dramatic as it could have been.

The Magpies were actually winning right until the end - thanks to a thunderbolt of a long-range strike - only for Lincoln Red Imps to assert their dominance with two quickfire goals at the death and complete another domestic double.

The stadium where the game took place is Victoria Stadium, which is currently undergoing renovation. That means important matches are currently played at Europa Point Stadium, from where you can see the African coastline in the distance on a clear day.