Spain player forgets to take knee in England clash

A Spanish national women's player forgot to take the knee and then tried to play on at the start of her country's Euro 2022 quarter-final clash with England.

The Lionesses were taking on La Roja at Brighton's AMEX Stadium in the last eight of the tournament. It was a highly-anticipated clash, with the two sides having lost just one game between them in the group stages.

One player perhaps too keen to get on with the action was Spain striker Esther Gonzalez, who was taking the kick-off for her side. The teams at this year's Euros have continued to 'take the knee' in a show of solidarity for the fight against racism and discrimination in football.

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As referee Stephanie Frappart blew her whistle to signal the start of the kneeling, 21 players, plus the match officials, on the pitch all dropped down. But Gonzalez had forgotten about the gesture that her side had agreed to take.

Instead, the Real Madrid Femenino star played the ball back to centre-back Mapi Leon, who herself had dropped to her knee. After making the pass, Gonzalez realised her mistake and joined the other in taking a knee.

But after Frappart signaled the end of the knee-taking, Gonzalez bizarrely began to run forward in anticipation of Leon sending the ball up. She made it out of the circle on the halfway line, before returning to her position on the halfway spot.

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England players had directed her back to her own half as she started to run, having forgotten the normal procedure. She kicked off again after the ball had been returned to the centre spot, this time with no issues.

It was an even clash for much of the opening 45 minutes, with neither side having a clear-cut chance. England were looking to reach the semi-finals of a major tournament for the fourth successive time, while Spain had never won a knockout game heading into Wednesday's match.

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