Euro 2024: UEFA Set to Punish Kid Who Invaded Pitch to Get Selfie With Cristiano Ronaldo

• A young pitch invader stole headlines on Saturday, June 22, after running onto the pitch to meet Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo
• Ronaldo exhibited class by allowing the young lad a selfie before he was chased away by stewards at the BVB Stadion Dortmund
• Individuals who ran onto the pitch usually risk facing criminal charges, but the young pitch invader narrowly escaped that fate

The young lad who stopped the game by invading the pitch on Saturday, June 22, during Portugal’s Group F game against Turkey will not face criminal charges.

Ronaldo, who is no stranger to crazed football fans risking it all to get close to him, handled the situation gracefully as he casually agreed to take a selfie with the fan.

A ranked list of the biggest divers in football history

Football

The child took a selfie with the Portugal star on the halfway line before running back to the stands while being chased down by security guards at the BVB Stadion Dortmund.

Regarding the game, Portugal comfortably beat Turkey 3-0 to secure a ticket to the last 16 of the competition.

What punishments do pitch invaders face?

Storming the pitch during official football matches carries a hefty penalty.

The worst case scenario would be facing criminal charges or being handed a full stadium ban to never attend football matches again.

According to German outlet BILD, however, the young Ronaldo fan was lucky as he only got a formal talking-to for his antics.

Express Sport further reports that while no criminal charges will be pursued because of the pitch invader’s age, he will be banned from all future Euro 2024 matches.

Lewis Hamilton calls out media for using Bukayo Saka’s image as face of England’s defeat

Football

UEFA’s stance on pitch invaders

There were five incidents of pitch invaders during Portugal versus Turkey on Saturday.

This worrying trend has prompted UEFA to issue a statement confirming that security will be beefed up at Euro 2024 going forward.

“Safety and security in the stadium, on the pitch and at team facilities are the ultimate priority for UEFA, DFB and EURO 2024 GmbH,” the statement read.

"As a reminder, any incursion onto the pitch constitutes a breach of the stadium rules and will result in expulsion from the stadium, a ban from all tournament matches and the filing of a formal criminal complaint for trespass.”

Goncalo Ramos tackled by security

Sports Brief also reported on the bizarre incident in which Portugal’s Goncalo Ramos was tackled by a security guard.

In a video doing rounds on social media, a security guard who was chasing a pitch invader lost his balance and accidentally tackled a startled Ramos, who winced in pain as he limped off the camera frame.

Ronaldo, who was a few yards behind Ramos, stood still as he waited for the drama to subside before making his way out of the 80,000-capacity stadium.