No one wants to see this.
Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was being targeted with a laser pen as Harry Kane stepped up to take the winning penalty in the Euro 2020 semi final on Wednesday.
In footage shared by users on Twitter, a green light can clearly be seen on Schmeichel’s face, as a member of the crowd clearly tries to distract the goalie.
Despite this, the Leicester goalkeeper was still able to save Kane’s penalty, although was not able to hold onto the ball, allowing the England striker to tap in the rebound and score the goal that took England to the final on Sunday.
Whilst fans may be divided over whether a penalty should have been awarded in the first place or not, there can be no debate about the fact that shining a laser pen in someone’s eye is a shameful thing to do.
Absolutely shocking that this was allowed to happen! Someone used a laser pen on Kasper Schmeichel!!! pic.twitter.com/73goP3J00a
— Swansea Beat 🦢 (@swanseabeat) July 7, 2021
England fans have joined others in condemning the actions of the person in question. Aside from the fact that it’s an incredibly unsporting thing to do, it’s also just plain dangerous.
Some have been calling for the fan to be found, identified and punished as a result.
Journalist Kevin Maguire labelled the fan a “dangerous idiot,” with another fan saying that the person who shone the laser pen is a “disgrace” to fans at Wembley.
CCTV everywhere so the idiot who shone a laser pen at Casper Schmeichel during the penalty should be pictured, identified, prosecuted, jailed, shamed and banned from football for life. Dangerous idiot #Euro2020
— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) July 7, 2021
https://twitter.com/mikelaafc/status/1412895259667963907
Meanwhile, ex-footballer Stan Collymore said that the fan wants “banning for life.”
If anyone shone a laser pen at Schmeichel, they want banning for life.
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) July 7, 2021
During the post-match coverage on ITV, host Mark Pougatch said the incident was “completely unacceptable and ridiculous.”
He said: “Look, someone’s got a laser pen in the stands. Whoever they are, they’re an idiot, him or her.
“We can just hope it didn’t put Kasper Schmeichel off.”
https://twitter.com/clarkinohh/status/1412896018232905732
Only Kasper Schmeichel will know how much the laser distracted him. But whether it did or didn’t, the so-called ‘fan’ who decided to shine a laser in his eye before one of the biggest moments of his footballing career should be punished for his behaviour.
