Go Ahead Eagles’ new Eredivisie campaign began with an unusual moment before their home match against Willem II. The club wanted to celebrate the return of football to Deventer with a spectacular delivery of the match ball. However, one of the skydivers involved in the stunt had a painful start to the new season.
A group of skydivers flew into the Adelaarshorst through the top of the stadium before the match. They were expected to land safely on the pitch near the centre circle while delivering the official match ball. But one parachutist struggled to slow down as he approached the grass.
Instead of making a smooth landing, the skydiver came in with too much speed and headed towards one of the targets. He eventually crashed into the advertising boards positioned at the back of the stadium. The unexpected landing drew a mixture of laughter, surprise and concern from the crowd.
The ESPN commentator also saw the funny side of the incident, joking that the first injury of the season had already arrived. “The first injury of the season is a fact, not of a player, but a parachutist,” the commentator said during the broadcast. Despite the heavy-looking crash, the skydiver quickly got back on his feet.
More skydivers then descended into the stadium as planned, completing the unusual pre-match spectacle. Their arrival caused a slight delay to proceedings, with the match getting underway later than scheduled. Thankfully, the parachutist involved in the crash was reportedly doing well after the incident. He waved at the crowd and they cheered in him return.
