Mexico’s national soccer team manager Javier Aguirre was left with a bloodied head after he was struck by a can thrown from the stand following his team’s 2-0 defeat to Honduras on Friday.
Footage posted on social media showed Aguirre walking across the pitch in San Pedro Sula, Honduras while objects thrown by the crowd landed on the ground around him. One then struck Aguirre’s head and exploded with liquid while he flinched and a cut opened up on his scalp.
Blood began to pour down to his face as he was tended to by his support staff and a physio followed him around the pitch, holding a gauze to the cut. Aguirre then tossed away the gauze and walked off the pitch, shielded by a line of security holding up riot shields, litter thrown from the stands strewn about their feet.
Afterwards, he downplayed the incident saying it was “nothing.”
“They deserved to win, they were better than us in areas, I’ve got nothing left but to congratulate them, and well, to try to lift my team’s spirit. The other thing, there’s no point in even mentioning it because well it’s football, I’m not one to complain,” he said, per ESPN.
Meanwhile, both the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) – one of FIFA’s six continental governing bodies – and the Mexican soccer federation condemned the incident in statements released after the game.
“The security of the teams and fans is a priority for Concacaf. These types of violent behaviors have no place in football,” Concacaf said, adding that the incident will be referred to its disciplinary committee for “further review and investigation.”
Mexico’s soccer federation echoed this statement, condemning the incident and urging institutions, managers, players, fans, and the media to create a safe environment.
Mexico will need to overcome the 2-0 deficit on Tuesday when it plays Honduras at home in the return leg of the quarterfinal series if it wants to advance to the Nations League semifinals in March.