Euro 2024: Cristiano Ronaldo Narrowly Escapes Fan Incident

Cristiano Ronaldo narrowly avoided being struck by a fan who jumped from the crowd to approach the Portuguese star following their 2-0 defeat to Georgia in the Euro 2024 on Wednesday.

A widely circulated video on social media shows an individual leaping over the players' tunnel at Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, as Ronaldo was leaving the field.

A security guard quickly intervened to protect the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star, while other security personnel chased after the fan, who then disappeared from view.

Ronaldo stopped, looking bewildered, but appeared unhurt.

The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed the incident but did not comment further. The European football governing body, UEFA, stated that it was aware of the incident.

Gelsenkirchen police said the matter was not under their jurisdiction.

In Portugal's previous match against Turkey on Saturday in Dortmund, four pitch invaders attempted to get a selfie with Ronaldo.

Ronaldo halted a young fan who had evaded stewards to enter the field in the 69th minute, but he seemed frustrated when more fans approached him later in the game and after the final whistle.

Portugal's head coach, Roberto Martínez, expressed concerns about Ronaldo's safety following that match.

"Everyone loves a fan who recognizes the great stars and icons," said Martínez. "But it can be understood that it was a very, very difficult moment. If those intentions are wrong, players are exposed, and we must be careful with that."

UEFA has emphasized that stadium security is a "top priority" and announced that additional security measures would be implemented to prevent fans seeking selfies from entering the field.

Despite the surprising defeat to Georgia, Portugal has advanced to the knockout stage of Euro 2024 and will face Slovenia in the round of 16 in Frankfurt on Monday.