A video has emerged of Russian and Polish football hooligans battling it out in a five vs five fight on social media, and it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Both nations boast fierce football hooligan firms or ‘Ultras’ as they are known in most of Europe.
In Poland, football hooliganism is commonplace, with Aston Villa learning this first-hand during their Europa League clash against Legia Warsaw back in 2023.
Four police officers were injured in clashes outside Villa Park, with 46 Polish supporters arrested by West Midlands Police.
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The force said they faced 90 minutes of “sustained violence” after Legia fans were prevented from entering Villa Park. A barrage of missiles was also thrown into the stadium from the nearby streets as officers struggled to contain Legia’s supporters.
Legia were fined €100,000 (£86,100) by UEFA, and the club were banned from selling tickets to their fans for five European away matches.
And that was just one of many incidents involving Polish football hooligans in recent years – although it is important to note that violence tends to stem from a minority and does not represent the greater fanbase of the club.
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As for Russian fans, one of the most well-documented incidents involving violence occurred at Euro 2016 in France ahead of the nation’s clash with England.
According to BBC News, at the time, Russian hooligans injured over 100 English supporters, two of whom were put into a coma following the unsavoury scenes in Marseille.
But what happened when Polish and Russian hooligans clashed at Euro 2012?
The sides competed in Warsaw during the Euros, with police reporting at the time that 120 people were arrested and 10 were injured in violent exchanges in the Polish capital.
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Tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons were used to disperse fans on that occasion, with some firing back by throwing glass bottles at police.
Historically, Russia annexed Poland in the 19th century and ruled the nation for more than 100 years before the Soviet Union controlled it during the Cold War and the aftermath of World War II.
As a result, the nations always want to gain the upper hand in competitions - and this was the case during an organised five vs five fight.
A video posted on social media by Football Fights shows ten hooligans – five Polish and five Russian fighters - taking part in a controlled bout with several referees involved.
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Both teams can be seen kicking and punching the other while dragging them violently to the ground in a similar fashion to a mixed martial arts contest - even sometimes doubling up on their opponents who attempted to defend themselves while on the floor.
Despite both teams having early success, the Polish quintet ultimately came out on top despite a good effort from the Russian outfit.
Topics: Russia, Poland, Aston Villa
Luke Davies