'Stupid' Pitch invader who tried to get selfie with Cristiano Ronaldo appears in dock at Glasgow court
A football fan invaded the pitch during a Scotland and Portugal match to get a photo with his 'hero' Cristiano Ronaldo.
Hawdin Abdulla approached the former Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar clutching his mobile phone while yelling: "selfie, selfie."
But, Abdulla was instead tackled to the ground by security staff and hauled away before he could get to the five times Ballon d'Or winner.
It lead to him initially spending a night in police cells and he pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a single charge of breach of the peace.
Scotland had been playing Portugal in a UEFA Nations League quarter final tie which ended 0-0.
The game was reaching 80 minutes when Abdulla decided to take his opportunity he had apparently been waiting for his "whole life".
Fiscal Cat Morrison explained: "Abdulla ran from his seat, jumped over the barrier and ran in the direction of Cristiano Ronaldo.
"He requested a selfie from him and shouted 'selfie, selfie'. Abdulla was restrained and removed from the pitch. When he was arrested he told police officers 'I just wanted to meet my hero'."
Sam Henderson, defending, told today's sentencing that the student is an asylum seeker who did a "stupid thing."
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The lawyer added: "The security staff did not know the reason why he was running on the pitch - he just wanted to meet his hero."
Sheriff Joanna McDonald ordered Abdulla, of the city's Dennistoun, to do 75 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff told him: "This was an incredibly foolish thing to do. Anyone playing football at the level Cristiano Ronaldo was playing does not know why you are running on the pitch. This can be a frightening experience and the crowd could react. In the circumstances, a football banning order is not appropriate."
Abdulla had spoken after his arrest recalling the moment he tried to fulfil his "dream".
He said: "I had been waiting for that moment my whole life. It finally happened even though it is not exactly what I wanted. For many people, it might not have been a big deal, but, for me, it was a historic night."
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