“Have faith in us,” Hankin asks fans

Gibraltar goalkeeper Jaylan Hankin has called on fans to maintain their faith in the national team following a rollercoaster week that saw them disappoint against New Caledonia, but then hold Croatia to just a 3–0 scoreline
The young keeper, given his second consecutive start against Croatia and emerging as the hero of the day with a penalty save, was optimistic about Gibraltar’s future.
As Gibraltar enters a transitional period under head coach Scott Wiseman, who is seeking to shift the team’s traditionally defensive stance toward a more open and attacking mentality, Hankin urged fans to remain patient.
“I know it’s not what you want to see at the moment, but have faith in us because we are on the right track and we will get to where we want to,” he said.
Hankin, speaking to the Gibraltar FA’s social media channels after the Croatia match, had also featured in the defeat to New Caledonia — a game in which defensive errors and tactical changes cost Gibraltar heavily in front of their home crowd.
Gibraltar responded to that disappointing display with a backs-to-the-wall, gritty performance against Croatia that saw them frustrate their illustrious opponents for much of the match. The final goal, scored deep into injury time, was celebrated by Croatia as they sealed a 3–0 victory.
Eight impressive saves from Hankin were among the key features of the match — a performance he later described as having “felt amazing.”
Speaking about his defence, Hankin added:
“I have total respect for the boys at the back. They fought through everything. Everything that was thrown at them, they had a response. I take my hat off to them. If it wasn’t for them, the score would have been more for sure.”
Hankin expressed optimism about Gibraltar’s future and confidence in the team’s ability to compete at a high level.
“We can compete — we know we can compete. That’s why it hurt so much after the New Caledonia game. We know what we can do, and today we’ve shown it.”