not looking football related, but still sad


Portuguese police have arrested a man over the killing of a Briton following England's Euro 2004 win over Croatia.

The Briton is reported to have been stabbed in a street off Rossio Square, Lisbon, by a would-be robber in the early hours of Tuesday.

The Foreign Office confirmed a British man had died but said it would release no other details until his family had been informed.

Portuguese police said the suspected robber was thought to be Ukrainian.

The man was taken to Sao Jose hospital in Lisbon where he was pronounced dead on arrival, Portuguese police said.

The killing at 0400 BST followed celebrations over England's 4-2 victory against Croatia on Monday night.

'Real dampener'

A Foreign Office spokesman said it had been "completely peaceful" overnight and there were no reported arrests of any England fans.

A few England fans were milling around Rossio Square on Tuesday morning, with some visibly shocked by the killing.

Louis Calders of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, said: "I learned the news from my wife back in England and it's terrible. It puts a real dampener on things. The lad was only in his 20s."

Haskell Noah, 35, of Golders Green. north west London, said there were about 200 England fans outside bars in the Rua Augusta area when the stabbing took place.

England fans had been celebrating around Rossio Square
He said: "This guy had been coming up and down for hours trying to take people's wallets and everyone was fed up with him."

Mr Noah said the man had gone away after being confronted by an England fan but had returned later and approached another table.

Mr Noah said he did not see the actual blow being struck but there was an immediate commotion and the stabbed fan fell to the ground.

"A girl was screaming and police came running across to arrest the attacker as he ran away."

"It's horrible to hear that the guy has died. That was such a terrible end to a fantastic evening."

Other fans spoke of the peaceful atmosphere between England and Croatian fans after the game.

BBC correspondent James Coomarasamy, in Lisbon, said Portuguese police believed the Briton had been stabbed during an attempted robbery or pick-pocketing.

There was no evidence the death had followed any altercation between rival groups of fans in the city, our correspondent said.

He said the mood in Lisbon had seemed peaceful following the match.

Some fans had been celebrating in the central Rossio Square but most supporters were scattered around the city, he said.