A shocking security lapse occurred during the Nations League semi-final warm-up when Cristiano Ronaldo was approached and grabbed by a pitch invader.
As Portugal`s eventual match-winner warmed up to face Germany, frantic stewards rushed onto the pitch to deal with the fan.
Ronaldo initially appeared surprised when the individual put their hands on him at Bayern Munich`s Allianz Arena.
The young male supporter was then held back by two people, with another security officer quickly arriving to help keep the fan away from the 40-year-old football icon.
At the same time, a now-calmer Ronaldo extended his arm towards the man, seemingly trying to de-escalate the situation.
Finally, the fan was tackled to the ground by four stewards and escorted off.
This incident happened at the same stadium where Paris Saint-Germain fans invaded the pitch after their 5-0 Champions League final win over Inter Milan on Saturday. Security staff had failed to prevent that previous invasion.
Wednesday`s pitch invasion followed a 10-minute delay to the match start caused by a sudden hailstorm reducing visibility. UEFA confirmed the delay, citing “adverse weather conditions affecting the warm-up”.
Ronaldo was in the Portugal starting XI alongside Manchester United`s Bruno Fernandes, who recently turned down a £200 million offer from Al-Hilal.
Despite the pre-match disruption, the former Old Trafford star didn`t seem significantly affected during the match.
He was involved in several dangerous moments for Portugal during a disjointed and goalless first half, though perhaps not at his sharpest. However, he became the hero in the second half, scoring the winning goal in the 68th minute after Francisco Conceicao equalized Florian Wirtz`s earlier German opener.
Regarding his club career, Ronaldo`s future remains uncertain. Al-Nassr hopes to retain the five-time Ballon d`Or winner, despite interest from a major Club World Cup team.
Marcus Bellamy