THUGS who stormed Wembley during England’s Euro 2020 final against Italy may have wrecked Britain’s joint 2030 World Cup bid, it’s feared.
Hundreds of ticketless louts breached security to charge into the stadium on Sunday as fans ran riot.
Wembley descended into a warzone as 2,500 ticketless yobs ran amok at the crunch match against Italy.
Drunken hooligans broke through barriers and brawled as stewards battled to keep control.
British F1 ace Lando Norris, 21, had his £40,000 watch nicked amid sickening scenes.
Nineteen Met Police officers were injured during violent clashes in London, with 86 arrests, 53 of them at Wembley.
WORLD CUP FEARS
One steward told The Mirror a ticketless England fan threatened him with a knife and said: ‘You ARE going to let me in.”
A woman said she had been subjected to a serious sexual assault in a crush at the turnstile, The Mirror reports.
The FA has launched an investigation into the “unprecedented” crowd trouble at the country’s biggest match for 55 years.
But there are fears Britain’s joint 2030 World Cup bid with Ireland could have been torpedoed by Sunday night’s sickening violence.
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The Government is questioning those responsible for policing the final, with the FA facing a heavy fine.
And Uefa could rule against Britain and Ireland’s joint bid before a Fifa vote on 2030.
A senior figure at one of the FA’s bid partners told the Daily Telegraph: “It can’t help things – looked like chaos outside the stadium.”
England’s 1966 hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst – who was at Sunday’s final – said he feared the disgraceful scenes could harm our chances.
He said: “If we hold the World Cup here then measures will have to be taken to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”
Former sports minister Richard Caborn said: “They got it wrong and it could have far reaching implications. I hope it won’t impact 2030.”
Jim Boyce, Northern Ireland’s former Fifa vice-president, said the mayhem had thrown English football into “complete and utter disrepute”.
Analysis of video footage shows around 2,500 ticketless yobs storming in
Security source
He added: “Unfortunately, the headlines today are once again reflecting on idiots and drunken louts.
“It would be wonderful to see a World Cup back again in the United Kingdom and, certainly, the events of Sunday night do not enhance the prospects of it happening.”
But last night, Boris Johnson said he didn’t believe a “small minority” of fans’ behaviour would harm Britain’s “very good case” to host the World Cup.
Security sources estimate thousands broke in without tickets.
One said: “Analysis of video footage shows around 2,500 ticketless yobs storming in.
“But, the fact is, the stadium is not policed because Wembley won’t pay the bill for it.
THUGS CAUSE CHAOS
“Security is left to poorly paid stewards to deal with and they were totally overrun. Serious questions need to be asked.”
Thugs circulated pictures of match tickets and Covid-negative test barcodes before the kick-off to trick and overwhelm staff.
Once past Covid screens, they gathered in large groups and charged over barriers, knocking aside anyone in their path.
One video shows scores clambering through and sprinting to the entrance as a female steward falls screaming to the floor.
Final was a dangerous experience
ENGLAND has a new generation of supporters — drunk on lager, crazed on cocaine and set on unleashing maximum violence.
What I witnessed on Wembley Way was like a trip back to the thuggery which dogged English teams in tournaments in the ’80s.
The launching of bottles and cans. Jumping on top of vans and stalls, trying to smash in roofs.
Then, finally and shamefully, the storming of the gates of the stadium — putting thousands of decent ticket-holding fans at risk.
Having attended hundreds of games at home and abroad, this was one of the most dangerous experiences I’ve had in football.
By 1pm, seven hours before kick-off, those on Wembley Way were putting their safety at risk.
The crossroads by the BoxPark was the first danger zone. Thousands were crammed in there, and nearly all thought it funny to send missiles of bottles and half-full lager cans through the air, seeing if they could take some unsuspecting soul down.
How they laughed, those idiots, climbing lampposts, lighting and throwing flares.
By 3pm, I witnessed thugs sniffing cocaine. Scores of bottles and cans fizzed through the air. Fights broke out down side roads. Families cowered and hurried by.
Up by the stadium, thousands were drinking, throwing and celebrating when others were hit.
The gates opened and all hell broke out. The disabled section inside the stadium suddenly filled with aggressive idiots. Punters were shoved out of their seats.
My memories of the biggest day in England’s football history for 55 years? Six hours outside full of menace, broken glass, bloodied bodies, fear among fans. Four hours inside of embattled stewards and frightened families.
And a relief that a real tragedy had not befallen us.
- By Duncan Wright, Senior football reporter
Another obtained by the Sun shows disabled access doors being breached by dozens of male and female gatecrashers.
A man was also seen being repeatedly kicked in the head and body after falling to the ground.
At one point, a frustrated fan turns on stewards standing by and shouts: “Do your f***ing job!”
Julian Knight MP, chair of Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media & Sport select committee, said he would demand answers from the FA.
He said: “For me, their duty of safeguarding to the fans is absolutely central to what they do and, without it, frankly, they’re not doing their job.
“There needs to be a full inquiry from the Football Association which needs to be released into the public domain in order to set up precisely what went wrong and what lessons will be learnt.
“We are incredibly lucky that potentially the greatest night in English football in more than half a century wasn’t marred by the most awful tragedy.
“I can’t imagine what the families of those to have lost people in the past in such situations would feel watching those scenes.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
