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.



Vinícius Back for Brazil and Martínez for Argentina in South American 2026 World Cup Qualifying

Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior scores the 4-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Osasuna at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, 09 November 2024. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior scores the 4-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Osasuna at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, 09 November 2024. (EPA)
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Vinícius Back for Brazil and Martínez for Argentina in South American 2026 World Cup Qualifying

Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior scores the 4-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Osasuna at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, 09 November 2024. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior scores the 4-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Osasuna at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, 09 November 2024. (EPA)

Argentina and Brazil will have two of their leading stars available again as South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup resumes with the last two rounds of games this year.

Defending World Cup champion Argentina will once again count on goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who was suspended for two international matches in October. Brazil will bring back winger Vinícius Júnior, who missed the last two qualifiers through injury but has recovered.

South American leaders Argentina will play at Paraguay on Thursday, shortly after fourth-place Brazil visits Venezuela.

Also on Thursday, host Ecuador and Bolivia will face off in Guayaquil.

Potentially the most interesting match of the 11th round will be played on Friday in Montevideo, where third-place Uruguay hosts second-place Colombia. The bottom two in the 10-team standings, Peru and Chile, will meet the same day.

All teams play again next Tuesday in the 12th round of games, when Argentina hosts Peru and Brazil has a home game against Uruguay.

Argentina currently has 22 points, three more than Colombia, with Uruguay and Brazil third and fourth with 16 points each. Ecuador and Paraguay, with 13 points, complete the top six which are direct spots in the next World Cup.

Bolivia has 12 points, and its seventh place would qualify the Andean team for an international playoff. Venezuela (11), Peru (6) and Chile (5) complete the standings.

Argentina looks to Messi

Argentina can move even closer to a spot at the World Cup by beating Paraguay and Peru.

Captain Lionel Messi will be his team's best hope for goals once again after his hat trick and two assists in the 6-0 win against Bolivia in October, with the 37-year-old the top scorer in the current South American qualifying.

Argentina will travel to Asuncion with an additional challenge since Paraguay has been unbeaten since coach Gustavo Alfaro, an Argentine, took over in the middle of the year. In September, the Paraguayans beat Brazil 1-0.

Coach Lionel Scaloni faced a last-minute injury that could force even more changes in Argentina's defense. Lisandro Martínez suffered an apparent abdomen injury during Manchester United's 3-0 Premier League victory over Leicester and was discharged from international duty. Scaloni had already lost Germán Pezzella.

Vinícius under pressure

Pressure on Brazil coach Dorival Júnior was eased in October after two wins in qualifying over Chile and Peru. And Vinícius wasn't on duty in either of them.

Fans will pay close attention to the winger's performances against tough defenses at Venezuela and later against Uruguay, as he tries to reproduce for Brazil the same decisive performances for Real Madrid.

Brazil once again will not have Neymar, who picked up a muscular injury earlier this month. There's no big name as a center forward because Rodrygo is injured, too, and Endrick was not chosen. Vinícius will likely have to link up effectively with Raphinha and Luiz Henrique.

Vinícius will face two teams that are in a degree of turmoil. Venezuela hasn't won any of its last six qualifiers, and Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa is still under fire from former players for his handling of the team.

Two wins for Brazil won't secure the team a spot at the next World Cup just yet, but they will give fans and players some reassurance after a turbulent year.

Unfinished business

Colombia is hardly expecting a friendly reception in Montevideo on Friday. After all, there's unfinished business with Uruguay since their turbulent semifinal encounter at the Copa América in the United States in July.

Colombia's victory kicked off a brawl between Colombian fans and relatives of the Uruguay players. Led by striker Darwin Núñez, the Uruguayans went into the stands to defend their relatives. Núnez was later suspended for five matches.

Uruguay's Bielsa will be without two key midfielders, Nicolás de la Cruz and Giorgian de Arrascaeta, both injured. Uruguay has not won since its third-place match at the Copa America.