Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo saved by stewards as fan jumps from stands at Euro 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo was involved in another security incident during the European Championship when a fan attempted to jump from the stands and nearly landed on him.
Surprising video shared on the internet captured the fan jumping from a high platform above a set of stairs as Ronaldo was leaving the field after Portugal's unexpected loss to Georgia on Wednesday.
A staff member quickly placed themselves in front of a dazed Ronaldo to shield him from harm during the incident at the VELTINS-Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
The close call happened just three days after Uefa declared that stadium security would be increased for the rest of Euro 2024 due to the ongoing issue of Ronaldo being approached by fans trying to take selfies on the field.
Ronaldo looked more and more upset and hopeless during Portugal's 3-0 victory against Turkey at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund on Saturday when six different intruders attempted to reach the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Roberto Martinez, the manager, expressed concerns about the players' safety. According to a report from Telegraph Sport, the Portuguese football federation (FPF) took action by sending a formal letter to Uefa and the organizing committee of the tournament, which is hosted by the German football association (DFB). The FPF requested increased security measures at the games to ensure the well-being of all players.
This caused the governing body of European football to declare that they would be strict and caution that anyone who enters the field will be prosecuted and prohibited from attending any matches at the tournament.
Martinez had previously expressed his worries and cautioned that players were being left vulnerable. He said, "We all appreciate fans who admire the top stars and icons in their thoughts, we all agree with that. But it was a very tough moment - if those intentions are not genuine, the players are at risk and we must be cautious."
I believe such incidents should not take place in a football game. There are plenty of security measures in place to prevent such occurrences, and it is unacceptable for them to happen on the field.
Bernardo Silva, who plays on the same team as Ronaldo for Portugal, mentioned that the players were not as worried about their safety as they were annoyed by the frequent delays caused by the fans running onto the field.
The striker from Manchester City said this: "This is the consequence of being famous in the soccer world. Do I feel threatened? No, not at all. At least not me."
