Argentina’s Security Minister Patricia Bulrich has asked the Russian authorities to deport four Argentinian fans filmed beating a Croatian supporter after their team suffered a shock 3-0 defeat on Thursday.
“Elía, Pardo, Eslejer and Catalán are the four hooligans identified in the video who savagely beat a Croatian citizen. We are asking #Russia authorities to arrest and deport them,” Bulrich wrote on Twitter
The video recorded after the match between Croatia and Argentina in Nizhny Novgorod showed a group of fans mercilessly kicking a man wearing a red and white Croatian shirt.
The video footage immediately went viral, sparking angry reactions from fans around the world with many calling on FIFA and the Russian authorities to punish the troublemakers.
The fans’ violent actions were likely triggered by Argentina’s poor performance at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium after Lionel Messi and Co. were sensationally beaten 3-0, leaving their World Cup hopes in the balance.
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The four Argentina men who unleashed their anger on the fan risk being deported to their home country, where they will likely be penalized for their behavior.