Thunderstorms were the main reason for the temporary suspension of the Germany match.

The match between Germany and Denmark had to be temporarily suspended from the 35th minute of the first half due to thunderstorms. Photo: UEFA

In the early hours of June 30th (Vietnam time), Germany will face Denmark in the second match of the EURO 2024 Round of 16. The match will take place at the BVB Dortmund stadium in Dortmund.

The two teams played until the 35th minute when referee Michael Oliver decided to blow the whistle to stop the game, instructing both teams' players to return to the technical area. At that moment, a loud clap of thunder and lightning struck near the stadium.

A light drizzle fell when the match stopped, but after the referee and players went to the technical area, the rain intensified. After a few minutes, the English referee asked members of both teams to go to the dressing rooms as the rain got heavier.

During the heavy rain, many hailstones were seen falling onto the grass.

The pause didn't last long. The match resumed less than 30 minutes after the break. That's when social media went into a frenzy of questions and inquiries.

There were people who didn't think the game should be stopped, but there were very good reasons for that decision when it was uncertain about playing in those conditions.

Many matches still take place in the rain, but when lightning is present, safety must be prioritized, especially after Danish football experienced a terrifying incident many years ago.

Although the decision to halt everything due to lightning near the stadium might seem overly cautious to some, it was the right move considering what happened to a Danish player in 2009.

The cover of the 2020 book "Struck by Lightning" tells the story of Jonathan Richter's accident and his long battle for survival, involving numerous surgeries. (Image: Screenshot)

Jonathan Richter – who at the time played for FC Nordsjælland and was coached by the current Danish national team coach, Kasper Hjulmand – was struck by lightning during a match.

The shocking incident resulted in Richter losing a significant portion of his left leg and ending his professional career at the young age of 24. But considering the danger posed by lightning, things could have been far worse.

While competing on July 20, 2009, Richter was struck by lightning in the middle of the court, immediately suffering cardiac arrest. He fell into a coma and remained in that state for nearly two weeks.

About a month after the incident, the decision was made to amputate a significant portion of Richter's left leg.

Prior to this, he had played 70 matches for FC Nordsjælland and scored 9 goals.

Richter recovered but never played professional football again. However, he continued to work in the football environment and from 2015 to 2021, he served as the Sporting Director of FC Græsrødderne in the fourth division of Danish football.

Source: https://laodong.vn/bong-da-quoc-te/sam-set-ly-do-chinh-de-tam-dung-tran-duc-dan-mach-1359593.ldo