11-Year-Old Pitch Invader Fined For Ronaldo Meet Up

An 11-year-old girl has been fined £2,500 for breaching security to collect memorabilia from Cristiano Ronaldo during a FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

11-Year-Old Pitch Invader Fined For Ronaldo Meet Up

The game between the Republic of Ireland and Portugal at the Aviva stadium ended goalless but Addison Whelan had a moment to remember for life when she successfully evaded security to meet the five-time Ballon d'or winner.

Her actions have not gone without punishment however as Addison has been handed a fine by the authorities for pitch invasion.

Ronaldo gifted Addison his jersey following a brief embrace, much to the young girl's excitement.

She told FM104: "I was fined for running onto the pitch. My dad's going to pay it."

Expatiating more on the encounter, Addison told RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland: "I jumped over the barrier because I was in the second row. I jumped over the first row and over the barrier.

"Then I sprinted onto the pitch, but there were security guards running behind me and there was another two coming from the other corner so I just kept sprinting.

"When I saw the other two coming from the other corner I ran more towards the halfway line so then I could swerve around them, but then they caught me.

"Then I was just screaming Ronaldo's name. He turned around and he saw me and he was telling them to leave me.

"So then I was calling him over. He came over to me. I was just in shock and crying and I was like 'Can I have your jersey? Please, please. I'm a big, huge fan'. He was saying 'Are you okay?'"

"When my dad saw him taking off the shirt, my dad's face was just in shock.

"I was like 'Oh my God, this is it, this is my dream, it's finally coming true'. That was probably his last time playing in Ireland.

"He [Ronaldo] said I appreciate that and everything."