Spanish Super Cup: EMBARRASSING scenes in Saudi Arabia as whistles heard during Beckenbauer tribute

During a minute's silence in honor of the late German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, fans in Saudi Arabia disrupted the solemn moment with continuous whistling. Beckenbauer, who passed away at the age of 78 from natural causes, was being remembered ahead of the Spanish Super Cup semi-final between bitter rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in Riyadh.

3 things you need to know

• The Spanish Super Cup semifinal was held in Saudi Arabia by La Liga
• Players from both teams lined up to observe a minute's silence
• Fans in the stadium disrupted the moment by whistling

Also Read: Antoine Griezmann scores against Madrid in Super Cup to become Atletico's all-time scorer

An embarrassing incident takes place in Saudi Arabia

The disrespectful incident shocked viewers as approximately 25,000 spectators in the crowd chose to whistle during the tribute. Despite the disturbance, managers Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone, along with their respective players and staff, remained composed as they paid their respects to Beckenbauer.

The incident sparked outrage on social media, with one user expressing, "What a shame." Another user wrote, “Disrespectful. Laliga sold their dignity for money why not play in Spain.”

Franz Beckenbauer, widely regarded as one of football's all-time greats, left an indelible mark on the sport as both a player and a manager. As a player, he achieved unparalleled success, winning the FIFA World Cup as a central defender in 1974 and later repeating the feat as the manager of the West German national team in 1990.