Watch: Struggle erupts in England-Spain U-21 Euro quarter-final, with gamers having to be dragged off pitch

Warfare broke out between England and Spain on the soccer pitch throughout a heated U-21 European Championship match in Slovakia on Saturday through which gamers ended up getting bodily with each other and needed to be dragged out of the bottom.

The stunning incident came about through the quarter-final assembly between the 2 nations on the Anton Malatinsky Stadium in Trnava, Slovakia, which England received 3-1 to e-book a semi-final assembly with Netherlands.

Tempers bought the higher of gamers from the 2 groups shortly after the full-time whistle, with England’s on-field celebrations apparently getting the Spaniards much more labored up. Among the many gamers caught in battle have been defender Charlie Cresswell, who needed to be held again from Spanish striker and former Leeds teammate Mateo Joseph.

On-field scuffle results in red-card

Napoli centre-back Rafa Marin was later proven the pink card for his half on the scuffle though he performed no half within the sport. Manchester Metropolis midfielder James McAtee, who scored the primary purpose of the sport, additionally obtained a reserving.

Watch the incident unfold right here:

England by means of after beating Spain 3-1 in Trnava, and it appears it bought a bit an excessive amount of for some on the finish right here. #EUROU21 pic.twitter.com/fJh8aoTBuH

— Josh Donaldson (@Josh_Don) June 21, 2025

“It was at all times going to occur due to the fervour from each groups,” Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who was additionally among the many goalscorers, instructed Channel 4 after the match.

“It’s a type of the place I used to be attempting to calm everybody down. Finish of the day, we’ve bought every little thing to lose.

“They don’t, they will get gamers despatched off. We will’t lose gamers for the semi-final,” the attacking midfielder added.

Harvey Elliott scored as England booked their spot within the #U21EURO semi-finals 🎯

Jarell Quansah and Tyler Morton additionally featured within the 3-1 win over Spain 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cKpJ6MRxgi

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 22, 2025

Coaches from each groups and match officers needed to become involved to be able to separate the warring gamers.

“I believe there are higher methods to construct camaraderie! However I believe we had one thing comparable within the remaining (two years in the past),” England coach Lee Carsley stated after the sport.

“Feelings run very excessive and in these sorts of eventualities you don’t need anybody to get despatched off, anybody to throw a punch or get themselves in hassle,” he added.

England are two matches away from profitable back-to-back U-21 European titles, having received the earlier version in 2023. And by the way, they’d additionally defeated Spain, by a 1-0 margin, within the remaining of the earlier version.