Mike Tindall has spoken of how he broke up a fight between brawling fans covered in blood during the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
England lost to Italy on penalties on Sunday evening in a game marred by violent scenes and ticketless fans storming the stadium.
Former England rugby player Tindall felt compelled to intervene as tempers flared in the section of the ground where he was sitting with wife Zara, the Queen’s granddaughter.
“A guy was there the whole time, smashed out of his face, literally didn’t watch any of the game,” the 2003 World Cup winner told The Good, The Bad and the Rugby podcast.
“He was just too busy shouting at supporters that they should be standing on their feet, ends up getting into a fight with another one that’s straight behind my seat.
“It got to a stage where this guy literally was trying to pile this guy in the face, there was a kid next to us, there was a kid on the other side crying because he couldn’t see the game because of all the guys stood in the galley way.
“And I just pulled these guys apart, said to one of them ‘What are you doing? Just what are you doing?’
Statement from The @FA. pic.twitter.com/x1uCcGEOWe— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) July 12, 2021
“And you know, he wandered off, blood all over him. The guy on the floor had blood all over him.”
The Football Association is conducting a full review into events, while European football’s governing body UEFA has appointed an inspector to carry out its own investigation.
UEFA has also issued charges against the FA related to other supporter misconduct inside the stadium.
