Before an overzealous fan jumped from the stands in the final round of Group F, Cristiano Ronaldo had become a target from the hotel, training ground to the stadium at Euro 2024.
On June 26, after Portugal lost 0-2 to Georgia , Ronaldo quickly looked up at the stands, raised his hand in greeting, then continued walking down the stairs to the tunnel. Suddenly, a fan jumped from the stands at a height of about 3 meters, right next to the 39-year-old superstar. A security guard reacted very quickly, rushing up from behind to block in front of Ronaldo, preventing a dangerous accident from happening.
The Portuguese captain was stunned by the situation, then spread his arms in a confusing gesture at the fans’ actions.
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“Ronaldo is very lucky to be safe and sound,” the German newspaper Bild wrote. “It’s hard to imagine what would have happened if a fan had jumped down from the stands and hit Ronaldo.”
The incident occurred just three days after UEFA announced increased security at stadiums for the remainder of Euro 2024. Earlier, at least six fans jumped into Westfalen to try to approach Ronaldo , during Portugal’s 3-0 win over Turkey on June 22.
Coach Roberto Martinez warned that players are in danger at Euro. The Portuguese Football Federation (FFF) had to write to UEFA and the German Football Federation (DFB) to request stricter security measures during matches.
Fans (in red shirts) jumped from the stands while Ronaldo was not paying attention. Photo: AP
UEFA has again announced tightening security, warning that those who trespass will be banned from entering stadiums for the rest of Euro 2024 and face criminal prosecution in Germany.
Not only at matches, security is required to be increased at training sessions and hotels of the Portuguese team . European press warns that the admiration for Ronaldo is going beyond the limit.
According to Bild , around 300 fans regularly gathered outside the Portuguese base and three people who tried to climb the fence were stopped. One fan suffered an injury to his hand while trying to climb the fence because he did not have a ticket to watch Portugal train – 8,000 tickets sold out in a minute. Security prevented at least 13 fans from rushing onto the pitch.
The reception at the Klosterpforte Hotel received 50 to 100 calls a day asking about Ronaldo’s autograph or permission to enter the Portuguese zone. UEFA had to erect a security fence hundreds of metres long and 2 metres high to control the fans. Previously, the first security fence had been torn down to a large area so that fans could see into the hotel, or attempt to climb the fence.
Security fence torn apart in front of Portuguese hotel in Germany. Photo: Privat
UEFA also gave Portugal a special option on match day. Accordingly, the bus carrying Ronaldo and his teammates was allowed to go as close to the pitch as possible instead of having to walk the distance as prescribed.
Ronaldo also tried to interact with fans, spending time before lunch to sign autographs, in a fixed area near the fence at the hotel. In the win over Turkey , he was friendly when he took a picture with 10-year-old Berat who broke the fence onto the pitch. However, the 39-year-old striker also showed his limits when he was visibly annoyed with the next spectators who approached him in a similar way, interrupting the match.
