3 injured as football fans fight over Ronaldo, Messi’s superiority in Ebonyi

An argument among two football fans over mega stars, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s superiority in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital on Saturday, went sour as the duo engaged in a fight.

The supposed free-for-all argument happened in a bar at the Kpirikpiri area of the town during the EURO 2016 second round match between Portugal and Croatia in which Portugal won the 1-0 courtesy of a Ricardo Quaresma 114th minute-extra time goal that sent them into the competition’s quarter-finals.

Vanguard is reporting that trouble started when a Ronaldo supporter identified only as Marshal celebrated widely as the Real Madrid star’s shot was parried into Quaresma’s path for the goal to the consternation of the Messi’s supporter named Obinna.
Immediately, Quaresma scored, Marshal rushed to Obinna in a mocking tone saying, “I told you, I told you Ronaldo is the best.”

Marshal reportedly reignited the argument the duo were said to have had all night.

In response, Obinna pushed Marshal and a fight ensued which made others inside the bar to intervene and Marshal’s friends who felt that Obinna’s friends were indirectly aiding him in the fight, thus making the fight instantly a free-for-all, pounced on each other and breaking bottles.

Three persons were injured in the process and are currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

When contacted, the State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP George Okafor, said three persons were badly wounded while several others sustained minor injuries.

“The command always dealt with such issues decisively. Football hooliganism is a societal malaise as it is only foolish people who indulge in it,’’ the spokesperson added.