Cristiano Ronaldo Just Avoids Being Hit by a Fan Who Jumped from the Crowd to Get to Him at Euros 

Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after he lost the UEFA Euro 2024 Group F football match between Georgia and Portugal at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 26, 2024. (AFP)
Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after he lost the UEFA Euro 2024 Group F football match between Georgia and Portugal at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Cristiano Ronaldo Just Avoids Being Hit by a Fan Who Jumped from the Crowd to Get to Him at Euros 

Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after he lost the UEFA Euro 2024 Group F football match between Georgia and Portugal at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 26, 2024. (AFP)
Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after he lost the UEFA Euro 2024 Group F football match between Georgia and Portugal at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 26, 2024. (AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo narrowly avoided being hit by a fan who jumped from the crowd to try to get close to the soccer star when Portugal played Georgia at the European Championship on Wednesday.

A video widely circulated on social media appears to show someone leaping over the top of the players' tunnel at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen as Ronaldo headed to the locker room.

A safety steward rushed to shield the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star and other security staff race toward the fan, who falls away out of sight.

A bemused-looking Ronaldo stops, but appears to be unharmed. Portugal lost the game 2-0.

Portugal’s Football Federation confirmed the incident, but did not comment. European soccer's governing body UEFA said it was aware of the incident.

Ronaldo is one of the most famous sporting icons in the world with a massive fan base, which includes 632 million followers on Instagram and nearly 112 million on X.

During Portugal's previous match against Türkiye in Dortmund on Saturday he was confronted on the field by four supporters who wanted selfies.

Ronaldo posed for a selfie with a young fan who evaded stewards to get on the field in the 69th minute, but looked frustrated when more entered the field later in the game and after the final whistle.

Portugal 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," he 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."

The 39-year-old has become the first player to appear at six European Championships and although he is yet to score at this year's tournament, he holds the record for the most goals at the Euros with 14.

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.



Salah Scores, Sets Up Equalizer as Liverpool Draws 2-2 at Villa to Lead Premier League by 8 Points

19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
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Salah Scores, Sets Up Equalizer as Liverpool Draws 2-2 at Villa to Lead Premier League by 8 Points

19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa

Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up the equalizer by Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa that stretched its lead in the Premier League to eight points on Wednesday.
Salah tucked away with his league-leading 24th goal of the campaign to put Liverpool ahead at Villa Park in the 29th minute, only for the leaders to fall behind by halftime following a volley by Youri Tielemans and a header from Ollie Watkins.
Alexander-Arnold ran onto an inside pass from Salah and drove in a shot that deflected past Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez in the 61st as Liverpool salvaged a point from an end-to-end game, avoiding what would have been just a second league defeat of the season, The Associated Press reported.
It remains to be seen whether this was a good point for Liverpool in one of the toughest away fixtures in the league or two more dropped points, a week after a 2-2 draw at local rival Everton.
“We desired more,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said, "and that is the only thing we can blame ourselves for a few times now — we did not get what we deserved. We must not make a habit of that.”
Liverpool has now played a game more than second-place Arsenal, which appears to be the only other realistic challenger for the title, and has another tough away game on Sunday at Manchester City.
Arsenal plays first out of the top two at the weekend — at home to West Ham on Saturday — and has the chance to trim the lead to five points before Liverpool meets City.
Liverpool is seeking a 20th top-flight championship to tie the record of Manchester United.
Salah is spearheading Liverpool's title charge. Not only is the Egypt forward the league's top scorer, with five more than nearest challenger Erling Haaland of Manchester City, he has more assists than anyone else with 15.
Should Arsenal wind up reeling in Liverpool, the Reds may regret a big miss from Darwin Nunez after the Uruguay striker came on as a substitute. Dominik Szoboszlai ran through a squared the ball to Nunez, who had an open goal at which to aim with a left-footed shot.
Nunez blazed the finish high and wide, with Slot on the touchline barely believing what he had seen.
Villa then had chances to win it, with Morgan Rogers shooting over when well-placed and substitute Donyell Malen driving a low shot just wide with one of the last kicks of the game.
“We had some good chances to make it 3-2 and then we could even have lost it,” Slot said. “It was a great game but I am not happy with the result.”
Villa, which has lost just once at home all season in the league, stayed in ninth place and is four points off fifth. A fifth-place finish looks set to be enough to qualify for next season's Champions League.