Easy News: Euro 2020 final and fan problems

1. 

   On Sunday July 11 2021, England men’s national football team played against Italy in the final of the UEFA European Championship 2020 at Wembley stadium in London.

2. 

   It was the first time the men’s team had reached the final of a major tournament since the World Cup in 1966 and there was a lot of excitement across the country.

3. 

   Lots of pubs were fully booked and were allowed to stay open later than the usual Covid restricted times. Large groups of fans also met and drank and celebrated in public before the game started.

4. 

   This led to trouble in some areas, such as central London, where litter and beer was thrown and property was damaged.

5. 

   As part of Covid reopening trials, around 60,000 fans were allowed into Wembley. Many gathered around the stadium despite the police warning fans without a ticket that they should not be there.

6. 

   Some fans without tickets managed to get past security and there was fighting between fans and stewards and staff.

7. 

   The match itself started at 8pm. In less than 2 minutes England scored and took the lead.

8. 

   In the second half of the game Italy scored to make the game 1-1. There were no more goals after this and the game went to extra time and then penalties.

9. 

   Italy won the penalty shootout 3-2 with England missing 3 of their penalty kicks.

10. 

    Even though reaching the final was a good achievement for England, the three black players that missed their penalties suffered horrific racist abuse from some fans.

11. 

    Lots of people spoke out against the abuse, including members of the government. But at the start of the tournament people high up in the government criticised the players for taking a knee, a gesture campaigning against racism.

12. 

    A mural of Marcus Rashford, who was one of the black players to miss a penalty, was vandalised by angry fans. A mural is a large painting on a wall.

13. 

    But it was quickly covered with hundreds of messages of support.

14. 

    The Prime Minister has now said he will change the law so people who abuse footballers online would be banned from the stadium.

15. 

    The bad things that happened before and after the game ruined some of the positivity that came with a great achievement for the England team, even if they were not able to win.

16. 

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