Portugal’s Euro 2024 match Saturday against Turkey was interrupted four times by spectators running onto the field to take selfies with star Cristiano Ronaldo, who was approached twice more after the game.
Portugal won the Group F contest, 3-0. Afterward, Coach Roberto Martinez decried the incidents, telling reporters: “It is a concern, but today we were lucky as intention of the fans were good. The fans recognize big stars and icons, but there is a very difficult situation if their intentions are wrong and players are exposed.”
The first field invader was a child who ran onto the pitch in the 69th minute and was embraced by the 39-year-old star. The fan pulled out a cellphone, and Ronaldo smiled and posed for a selfie before the boy sped off to evade security. After he was apprehended, the child waved to a cheering crowd inside the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, Germany, as he was led away.
Around 15 minutes later, a teenage boy tried to do the same, but Ronaldo waved him away before security reached the intruder. In both cases, the referee delayed the match until the selfie seekers were removed.
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In stoppage time, two adult men attempted the same stunt, running toward Ronaldo with their cellphones before they were stopped by security.
After the match ended, two more fans tried to approach Ronaldo as he walked off the field with teammates — one of whom, forward Gonçalo Ramos, was knocked down as security rushed to subdue one of the fans.
“There is lots of security, so it shouldn’t happen,” Martinez said of the incidents, adding that they should send a message about fan behavior. “… The message is that it could get worse for the future and it’s not good that the players are so exposed on the pitch.”
Another fan jumps on pitch to take photo with Cristiano Ronaldo during Türkiye-Portugal match, escorted out by security guards pic.twitter.com/CpgMmSX1Tu
— Türkiye Today (@turkiyetodaycom) June 22, 2024Ronaldo formerly starred for Real Madrid and Manchester United but now plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. He found Bruno Fernandes for the team’s final goal of the match in the 55th minute, tying the record for assists in European Championship history with eight.
Bernardo Silva, Portugal’s opening goal scorer, later said he was “not really concerned” about the fans who ran onto the field.
“It’s just a bit annoying in terms of having to stop the game because a fan enters the pitch,” Silva said. “That’s the price you pay for being so recognized in the world of football.”
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