The Final: Attack on Wembley is an upcoming Netflix Original documentary directed by Robert Miller and Kwabena Oppong. It focuses on massive unrest before the UEFA Euro Cup final between Italy and England at Wembley Stadium in 2021. What started as a celebratory occasion quickly turned violent and dangerous as nearly 6,000 ticketless fans stormed the Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Here is how it all unfolded:
What really happened in London during UEFA Euro Cup 2020?
It was England Men’s National football team’s first major appearance in a tournament final since 1966, and the European Championship was just within their reach. Tens of thousands of supporters flocked to London’s Wembley Stadium, kick-starting an alcohol-fueled party hours before England’s bout with Italy in the Euro 2020’s final. By lunchtime the area around England’s national stadium was slick with beer, and the underfoot resembled the stickiest of pub carpets. The police were helpless in the face of mayhem as fans sang, chanted and hurled their drinks at them. Many set up camp early with thousands queuing to get into pub gardens before lunchtime and others packed into city squares.
Some four hours before the 8pm local kick-off, ‘Wembley Way’ was crammed with supporters all the way from the underground station to the stadium.
Due to COVID restrictions, a limited number of tickets were sold, and 67,173 fans were officially in attendance. But as England supporters arrived at Wembley from all corners of the country, celebration quickly turned to chaos. Mayhem took over with scenes of drunkenness and drugs, and ticketless fans saw an opportunity to storm the stadium. About a month after the incident, data was revealed that linked more than 9,000 COVID cases to the Euro Cup Final, over 5,000 of which were present at the stadium.
Talking about the England v. Italy Euro Cup 2021 Final, it was a close game with Italy clinching the title after a close bout. The score was 1-1, following the which the match extended into a penalty shootout. Italy managed to secure 3 goals to England’s 2.
More about The Final: Attack on Wembley
The Netflix documentary directed by Robert Miller and Kwabena Oppong features first-hand testimonies from the witnesses and visceral scenes from the incident, portraying a dramatic story of a day that began with euphoria, and ended in a nation left reeling. The first episode is set to be aired on May 8 on Netflix.