A tragic incident marred the UEFA Nations League final between Portugal and Spain on Sunday, as a spectator died after falling from the stands at Munich’s stadium, UEFA confirmed to AFP subsidiary SID.
The individual fell from the central tier during the first half of extra time, landing in the press area located in the lower section of the stadium. Emergency services and police responded immediately, but the fan could not be saved.
In a statement, a UEFA spokesperson acknowledged a “medical emergency” during the match and confirmed that the supporter had “sadly” passed away.
Both teams expressed their condolences following the match, which ended 2-2 and was decided by a 5-3 penalty shootout victory for Portugal.
Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente addressed the incident in the post-match press conference:
“I want to show my deepest condolences because a fan has died. It reminds us of what is important in life.”
A representative from the Portuguese side also extended sympathies, noting the tragedy had “cast a shadow on our victory today.”
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez described the incident as “extremely sad news.”
According to initial estimates, the fan fell approximately eight metres. The circumstances surrounding the fall remain unclear.
