There was a fight at the Maracana Stadium on Tuesday before Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in a World Cup 2026 match. An Argentina fan who was involved in the fight said that Brazil cops took pictures with the hurt and their x-rays like “trophies of war.”
Eugenio, who was taken away on a bed and later had eight stitches put in his head, said the police had tried to “beat them to death.”
“We entered calmly until a commotion began between Brazilians and Argentines over a fight, and from one moment to the next a police cordon entered and didn’t begin to separate (us), but instead began to beat us to death,” Eugenio told TyC Sports, an Argentine station.
“I did not fight or hit anyone. I just fell and hit my head on one of the posts. After that, I don’t remember anything else.”
“I got off the stretcher in a hospital inside the Maracana.” It was my home at the Maracana. My eyes and head were both full of blood, and my hands were tied together.
“I was detained and held up, and then I was taken to this type of recovery room.” The police officer had to sew me up, the nurse told him. They were guys who only wanted to hit me.
The Albiceleste fan was then taken to the Maracana’s internal court, which is called the Juizado Especial Criminal (Jecrim), which means “special criminal court.” This court handles and rules on violations that happen inside the stadium.
Eugenio thanked his lawyers for their help, but he still had to pay a 200 reals (£32) fine before he could go free.
“I left early in the morning at 4 a.m. with eight other kids who were running late.” “One of them had a broken arm,” he said.
“The same cops who beat us up took pictures of us with the x-rays or selfies with us, like we were war medals.” They were happy and thought they were great.
“We didn’t charge in because we knew we would have a terrible time if we did. Thanks to the people from the Argentine Consulate who were there.” We were there while the judge and a lawyer got there. Something that makes you mad, we just went to watch a game.
“They judged us all as a group, like we fought with the police or started a fight in there.” “I don’t know why that is wrong,” Eugenio said next. “I wish I were back at home; I live here in Rio.” I sent the proof of payment.
“But we didn’t have any other choice. Right now I want to do something about the state or someone else, because you feel alone and don’t know what to do.
ANATORG, the association of football fan groups in Brazil, said that the government and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) were “negligent” when they put rival fans next to each other at Tuesday’s great match in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium with no walls between them.
Before the game started, fans of the opposing teams started punching each other, which delayed it for about 30 minutes. Police used batons to stop the fight, which hurt some fans and left them with bloody faces and other wounds.
In the meantime, Gianni Infantino, head of FIFA, said that “violence has no place in football at all.”