During the Belgium Cup final, which took place on Thursday, May 9, Union Saint Gilloise supporters were forced to watch on as an incredible Royal Antwerp pyro show was put on by its fans during the match.
Despite the show, It was Union Saint-Gilloise that eventually emerged victorious from the tie by a 1-0 margin.
Incredible Royal Antwerp pyro display at cup final
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Crazy Royal Antwerp pyro show
09.05.2024 | Belgium Cup Final 🇧🇪💥
Crazy pyro show by Royal Antwerp fans today against Union Saint-Gilloise#RoyalAntwerp #USGANT #Pyroshow pic.twitter.com/jqil9E6D8u— Ultras World (@Ultrasworld_uw) May 9, 2024
Cup finals are understandably a time for celebration – providing your side wins the game that is. However, Royal Antwerp supporters were seemingly not in the mood to be patient and began a pyro show at the start of the second half. Strangely, their team was actually already losing at this point in the match.
Putting the irony of that to one side, the display really was incredible and made for a truly engaging spectacle that reminds us all of why we love the sport so much.
Perhaps the supporters were just happy to be enjoying the occasion, which would be understandable given the fact that their side has now lost their four matches in all competitions, three of which have now been at the hands of their opponents on the day, scoring just two goals in the process.
The troubling rise of pyro use
As entertaining as it is to kick back and watch a good pyro display, the regularity in which they now appear at football matches across the continent is rising at an alarming rate. In 2017, a UEFA study found that pyrotechnics, of which there are varying forms, were used at a whopping 25% of matches in its various competitions.
That number was already incredibly high, but recently, specifically in the last two seasons, it feels as though that percentage has risen to a much higher figure,
Dr Tom Smith, the author of the aforementioned study carried out by UEFA, believes education is the key to tackling the growing problem. He said, “My worry, but also part of the solution, is I don't think fans understand what the problems are because they can convince themselves that they've never had a problem.”
So, whilst they can be beautiful and exciting to watch, they are unequivocally dangerous and are currently used with far too much regularity – an issue that must be dealt with before it inevitably spirals out of control,