The Italian football player who raced onto the World Cup field wearing a T-shirt in favor of the women of Iran and Ukraine has a history of doing similar pranks, but now that he has been disqualified from the competition, he won’t have another chance to draw attention in Qatar.
According to a statement from the World Cup organizing committee, his embassy was alerted and “the individual involved was freed shortly after being taken from the pitch.”
The statement read, “As a result of his acts, and as is customary practice, his (entry permit) has been revoked and he has been prohibited from attending future matches at this tournament.
On Monday, Mario Ferri, 35, a.k.a. “The Falcon,” disrupted the Portugal-Uruguay game by sprinting onto the field while wearing a blue Superman T-shirt with the words “Save Ukraine” and “Respect for Iranian Woman” on the front and back, respectively.
He also held a rainbow-colored banner bearing the Italian letters PACE, which stand for peace.
The football player announced his return on his Instagram feed, referring to himself as a “modern pirate.”
Among other “important messages,” Ferri said he wanted to address Iran, “where I have friends who are suffering and where women are not respected.”
He claimed that “FIFA prohibited rainbow captain’s armbands and human rights flags in the stands, they barred everyone, BUT NOT ME, like a Robin Hood.”
“PROTECT UKRAINE. I volunteered for a month during the conflict in Kyiv and witnessed the extent of those people’s suffering, he wrote, adding that “breaking the law for a just cause is never a crime.”
Following the pitch invasion, Ferri was briefly detained, according to the Italian foreign ministry, but was later “released by the authorities without any further consequences.”
Among other “important messages,” Ferri said he wanted to address Iran, “where I have friends who are suffering and where women are not respected.”
He claimed that “FIFA prohibited rainbow captain’s armbands and human rights flags in the stands, they barred everyone, BUT NOT ME, like a Robin Hood.”
“PROTECT UKRAINE. I volunteered for a month during the conflict in Kyiv and witnessed the extent of those people’s suffering, he wrote, adding that “breaking the law for a just cause is never a crime.”
Following the pitch invasion, Ferri was briefly detained, according to the Italian foreign ministry, but was later “released by the authorities without any further consequences.”
The 35-year-old midfielder, who has over nine years of playing experience, had a contract with United Sports Club of India’s second level until the league was temporarily suspended by COVID-19 in March 2022. One of the oldest clubs in West Bengal, United Sports Club, formerly known as Chirag United, has won the Durand Cup twice, taking second place in 2010 and 2011.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, Mario went back to his birthplace of Pescara but soon left for Poland. There, he rented a car and drove 60 migrants every day from Lviv to Poland.
During an Inter-Mazembe game in Abu Dhabi in 2010, Ferri invaded the Club World Cup pitch while flinging an AC Milan scarf.
He once more wore his Superman T-shirt as he ran onto the field during a Belgium-USA game at the World Cup in Brazil four years later.
The slogan on the T-shirt, “Save the children of the favelas,” or the slums of Brazilian cities, was in honor of Naples supporter Ciro Esposito, who was shot by an ultra before the Coppa Italia final, and it was followed by the words “Ciro lives.” Later, he passed away.
During a 2017 match between Naples and Juventus, Ferri flung a scarf from Naples on Gonzalo Higuain’s face.
He told Corriere dello Sport, “I chose to exact revenge on the Neapolitans for Higuain’s transfer to Juventus.
I yelled “Traitor!” and walked away.
