UEFA Euro

Spain captain Álvaro Morata to undergo medical check after fan incident during celebrations

Published Jul. 9, 2024 7:49 p.m. ET

Álvaro Morata will undergo analysis from team doctors on Wednesday, after a frightening incident involving a pitch invader left him hobbling following Spain’s Euro 2024 semifinal victory over France.

The Spain captain was sent tumbling to the ground as confusion reigned during the squad’s celebrations at reaching the final.

When a fan sprinted onto the field seeking selfies with the players and tried to avoid stadium stewards, a Spanish team security officer ran towards the group. However, the officer slipped and slid into Morata’s knees.

Soon after, the 31-year-old forward was in tears as he headed for the locker room and was clearly in significant discomfort.

"With Alvaro, we are going to wait until tomorrow," head coach Luis de la Fuente said in his post-match press conference. "We don’t think it was anything. It was during the celebrations, but we think he is going to be OK."

With seven goals, Morata is joint-third on the list of all-time top scorers at the Euros. He has scored once in this tournament, Spain’s first in its opening game against Croatia.

He was replaced toward the end of Spain’s victory over France, as the team prioritized defensive options in order to protect its slim lead.

Morata has been in the spotlight in Spain following an explosive interview that was published the day before the semifinal, in which he stated that he was likely to retire from international soccer after the tournament, claiming he has not received enough respect for his efforts for the national team.