Portugal’s manager Roberto Martinez has expressed serious concerns over pitch invasions after fans repeatedly entered the field during their 3-0 victory against Turkey at Euro 2024.
The match, held at Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, was interrupted several times as fans tried to take selfies with Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
In total, five individuals breached the pitch, prompting security guards to chase and restrain each one, much to the frustration of players and spectators.
The disruptions began with a young boy who Ronaldo graciously hugged and posed with for a photograph.
However, the interruptions continued, causing visible annoyance, particularly when a fan entered the pitch while Portugal was preparing to defend a corner in the second half. Ronaldo, clearly irritated, had to push away another fan at full-time before being escorted off the pitch by security.
“It is a concern. Today the intentions of the fans were good. We all love a fan who recognises the big stars and icons,” Martinez said post-match.
“But you [must] understand there’s a difficult moment if their intentions are wrong. We need to be careful. It shouldn’t happen – there’s a lot of security. We should give a message to the fans also because it is not the right way. It may get worse for the future. It’s not good to have the players so exposed on the pitch.”
Despite the disruptions, Portugal’s Bernardo Silva seemed less alarmed, describing the invasions as more of an annoyance than a threat.
“It’s just a bit annoying in terms of always having to stop the game because a fan enters the pitch,” Silva commented. “I think that’s the price you pay for being so recognised in the world of football and having a player like [Ronaldo] with us in the team. But in terms of being in danger, no I don’t feel that personally.”
The situation has raised questions about the adequacy of security at Westfalenstadion, especially since the venue is slated to host a semi-final match.
Ian Dennis, senior football reporter for BBC Radio 5 Live, noted, “The security here has been lacking and this stadium will host a semi-final – they’re going to have to tighten it up.”
Uefa’s disciplinary body is expected to review reports from match officials before deciding on any potential actions.