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Historic: No Brits Arrested at FIFA World Cup

© AP Photo / Hassan AmmarEngland fans cheer during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between England and Senegal at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022.
England fans cheer during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between England and Senegal at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. - Sputnik India, 1920, 15.12.2022
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Dubbed the 'English Disease', hooliganism in football first gained notoriety in the 1960s when fans began getting involved in violent clashes with rival gangs.
For the first time in the 92-year history of the FIFA World Cup, no English or Welsh fans have been arrested during the tournament, British police confirmed this week.

Cheshire Chief Constable Mark Roberts, who is the head of the UK's Football Policing Unit, said the behavior of the supporters of Harry Kane and his men who flew to Qatar to cheer them on was "absolutely exemplary".

Roberts' detailed report about the behavior of the Three Lions' supporters came after England suffered a dramatic 2-1 loss to defending champions France in the quarterfinals of the competition last Saturday. On the other hand, Wales bowed out of the event at the group stage.
According to the UK's Football Policing Unit, 3,000 fans traveled to Qatar for the six group matches that England and Wales played in the Arab nation. The number increased by 3,500 during England's two knockout games against Senegal and France.
"The behavior of England and Wales out in Qatar was absolutely exemplary. Throughout the home nations' involvement in the tournament, there were no arrests or incidents to report, which is a credit to all those who traveled," Roberts said in his report.

"In Russia 2018, there were three arrests. But obviously having two teams in this tournament we played double the group stage games, including a home nations derby, which underlines the good nature of our fans," he added.

What Is Wrong With England Fans?

The good behavior of the Three Lions' supporters in Qatar was in stark contrast to the shame of last year's European Championship final.
Last summer, thousands of ticketless drink and drug-fuelled fans stormed Wembley Stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 title clash between England and Italy, leading to chaos at the iconic venue.

Earlier this year, English supporters were once again slammed for being hostile, racist, and lacking sportsmanship during the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Despite no arrests in Qatar, 531 football-related incidents were reported in the UK since the sport's greatest spectacle kicked off.
150 of those took place on the day of the England vs France clash, resulting in 115 arrests from across the UK.
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