A woman laying a wreath to pay her respect to the victims of the Heysel Stadium tragedy during a ceremony marking its 30th anniversary at the stadium, renamed King Baudouin Stadium, in Brussels, yesterday. On May 29, 1985 in Brussels, 39 football fans died and 600 were injured just before the Juventus-Liverpool European Cup Final. Violence among supporters led to the collapse of a wall in the stadium.
By Bob Bensch/London/DPA
UEFA President Michel Platini was among many in the football world yesterday paying respect to the victims on the 30th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium disaster.
A total of 39 people were killed, and hundreds were injured, in a stampede of fans prior to the European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool at Heysel in Brussels on May 29, 1985.
The crush of people was caused a retaining wall to collapse and despite calls for the game to be abandoned, it was played for the sake of public safety.
Platini had a major role in the match by scoring from the penalty spot as Juventus won 1-0.
Now the head of European football, the Frenchman led the tributes to those who went to watch a match and never returned.
“Thirty years ago, I played in a European Champion Clubs’ Cup final at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels,” the Frenchman said in a statement. “And I continue to play in that final.
“It hasn’t left me, just like it hasn’t left anyone else who was there that night, and remains with all those who lost a loved one, for whom everything changed in a few terrible minutes.”
“On the 30th anniversary of that fateful night, my thoughts are with the 39 people who lost their lives, and, of course, with their friends and families.
“I can only express my deepest sympathy and reiterate that I am still doing everything in my power to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.”
Most of those killed were Juventus fans, who were charged by Liverpool supporters inside the seating area.
As a result, English teams were banned from European competition for five years.
Juventus paid their respects to the victims and their families at a mass last night in Turin, attended by players, coaches and management.
“It was supposed to be a day of excitement, celebration and tension on the pitch,” the club said on its website. “It became a tragedy.”
“Thirty-nine innocent people lost their lives that night. Thirty-nine families were forever afflicted by a pain we can’t even imagine.
“What happened that night is etched in the memories of football fans everywhere.”
Liverpool also honoured those who died at a private memorial yesterday morning at Anfield where Phil Neal, the team captain that night, laid a wreath at the Heysel memorial plaque at the stadium,
“What happened at Heysel will always be with me and everybody else who was there on that terrible day - we will never forget,” Neal said.
World governing body FIFA, which has been engulfed in scandal this week, marked the tragedy with a moment’s silence at its annual congress in Zurich.
“Thirty years ago today, 39 football fans from four countries, died at Heysel in Belgium,” FIFA President Joseph Blatter said on Twitter.
“We will remember them today.”
