Reims’ English head coach Will Still among the spectators locked in the stadium as 31-year-old describes experience as a ‘blur for everyone’ after Belgium’s game against Sweden is abandoned after terror attack in Brussels
- Reims boss Still, born and raised in Belgium, watched the match
- He described the situation as “a bit of a blur for everyone” as he waited to leave
- Fans were locked up in the ‘safest place in Brussels’ for two hours after the attack
Reims manager Will Still was among the spectators trapped in the King Baudouin Stadium following a suspected terror attack ahead of Belgium’s match against Sweden.
The match was abandoned at half-time after two fans were shot dead outside the ground with the alleged perpetrator still at large after posting about the killings online.
Brussels came to a standstill after a gunman claiming to be part of ISIS opened fire on a group of fans. A third is seriously injured.
The gunman is said to have started shooting at the men as they passed along Boulevard d’Ypres, just a few minutes north of the city’s famous Grand Plaza.
Still spoken to BFMTV from the ground where he watched his home country play in their last European Championship qualifier.
Reims manager Will Still was among those locked in the ground after Belgium played Sweden
He was still speaking to BFMTV from the ground as he waited to leave after Monday night’s events
The game was halted after a suspected terror attack that left two fans dead
Supporters of both teams were locked in the ground for two hours before finally making their way outside
“We are still locked inside the stadium and no exit is allowed,” Still said. “It’s a bit unclear for everyone.”
Players and officials were also kept in the ground, as were thousands of fans, with UEFA confirming the match had been abandoned.
Supporters have since started leaving the grounds, with armed police escorting them through the doors. Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof, who played in the match, expressed his support for the decision to close the ground.
“Our security team handled it well and made us feel comfortable,” he said. ‘Belgium is already qualified and we have no chance of going to the European Championships, so I see no reason to play.’
Still described the situation as “a bit of a blur” when he spoke from the stadium on Monday
The alleged perpetrator has still not been found, despite rejoicing online about the subsequent murders
Still was born in Belgium to English parents and his mother and father had recently moved to the country before his birth.
He grew up near Brussels and has been involved in Belgian football since 2014 when he became a video analyst at Sint-Truiden.
The now 31-year-old moved to France to work at Reims in 2021 and worked his way up to first-team manager. He went viral because his club paid a fine because he still did not have the right qualifications for his role.
He could be seen standing against a wall during the interview in the ground, which Swedish defender Victor Lindelof described as ‘the safest place to be in Brussels’.