“This feels more complete,” Torrilla tells media as Gibraltar look to replicate past success

Slowly becoming one of the veterans in the squad, having played through much of Gibraltar football’s first decade of international competition within UEFA and FIFA, 28-year-old Graeme Torrilla believes Gibraltar’s second attempt at promotion to League C feels different from the one in 2020, which was played behind closed doors due to the global pandemic.

“It’s very different. That one lacked the full atmosphere and experience. This feels more complete, and hopefully we can replicate that success properly.”

The player shrugged aside the so-called description of Gibraltar as a “minnow” when asked about it.

“We don’t focus on that. We know we’re a small country and relatively new, but we’ve earned respect through our performances and organisation.”

Speaking about Gibraltar’s progress in developing football, he highlighted that “there’s clear improvement,” adding:

“The level of players in the league is rising, and local players are still competing well. Internationally, we’ve shown progress and gained respect.”

Like his head coach, Torrilla emphasised that the team is treating the match as “just another game,” although he acknowledged the stakes involved.

“Of course, we know what’s at stake, so that gives us extra motivation, but the approach doesn’t change.”

Laughing at the idea of now being considered a veteran, the midfielder — who has been a key player not only for Gibraltar but also for his club, Lincoln Red Imps, during their progression to the Conference League group stage for a second time this season — sees his role as guiding younger players and passing on his experience.

“We need to help them understand what it means to represent Gibraltar.”

The importance of having fans in the stands this time around has not gone unnoticed either, with Torrilla highlighting how significant it is to play in front of a home crowd as they aim for promotion.