Cristiano Ronaldo narrowly avoided being hit by a fan who jumped from the crowd to get close to the Portugal star after their 2-0 defeat to Georgia at the European Championship on Wednesday.
A video widely circulated on social media shows someone leaping over the top of the players’ tunnel at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, as Ronaldo left the field.
A steward rushed to shield the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star, and other security staff raced toward the fan, who fell away out of sight.
A bemused-looking Ronaldo stopped, but appeared to be unharmed.
Portugal’s Football Federation confirmed the incident but did not comment. European football’s governing body, UEFA, said it was aware of the incident.
Gelsenkirchen police said the matter was not part of its responsibility.
During Portugal’s previous match against Turkey in Dortmund on Saturday, he was confronted on the field by four pitch invaders who wanted selfies.
Ronaldo stopped for a young fan who evaded stewards to get on the field in the 69th minute, but looked frustrated when approached by more fans later in the game and after the final whistle.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez coach said after that game that the Al Nassr forward was fortunate not to have been harmed and raised concerns over his security.
“We all love a fan that recognizes the big stars and the big icons in their minds,” Martinez said. “But you can understand it was a very, very difficult moment. If those intentions are wrong, the players are exposed and we need to be careful with that.”
UEFA have said safety and security in the stadium is the “ultimate priority” and that additional safety measures would be deployed to prevent selfie-seeking fans from entering the field.
Despite the shock loss to Georgia, Portugal advanced to the knockout phase of Euro 2024 and will play Slovenia in the round of 16 in Frankfurt on Monday.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
