A French youth, 9-year-old Matthéo, was severely beaten by five players on an opposing team, with video footage showing the youth being wheeled away by emergency medical workers to an ambulance. Given that Matthéo’s team was predominantly made up of White players while the opposing team featured minorities, the case has also taken on a racial element.
In the photos being released of Matthéo, he is seen proudly wearing the green and white jersey of AS Auchy-les-Mines. However, a day of what was supposed to be competitive sport turned into tragedy on Friday when his team played the final round of a tournament against AFC Creil.
After the final whistle blew, there was a minor clash, and Matthieu was knocked down. Once on the ground, five opposing players kicked him repeatedly in the chest and head. On the ground, the little boy lay motionless.
🇫🇷⚽️French football player Matthéo, a 9-year-old from Auchy-les-Mines, was thrown to the ground kicked in the head and chest chest by five young players from the Creil football team.
He was hospitalized with bruises and contusions.
Now, due to Matthéo being White and the rival… pic.twitter.com/0oSRg1UiE9
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) May 11, 2026When emergency responders arrived to take him to the hospital, footage showed his jersey was stained with blood and his face swollen.
The incident led the father and head coach of the team, Matthieu, to directly intervene to remove his son from the beating.
“During the final whistle, I was going to shake the other coach’s hand across the field, and I saw my kid curled up. They were hitting him, they pushed him. Five of them came at him, attacked him, beat him, knocked him to the ground, kicked him… So I ran to try to save my son because I saw my kid dying,” he said while speaking with RMC.
The aggression came about despite Creil having already won the game.
“An altercation like that at the end of the match, when they had won the tournament… I didn’t understand,” said Matthéo’s father.
While Matthéo suffered no fractures, he remains covered in bruises on his body, reports BFMTV. According to his father, the psychological impact has been severe, as his father explained that the previous two nights he woke up three to four times saying: “No, leave me alone, leave me, don’t hit me.”
In the aftermath, Matthieu has criticized the management of the opposing club for their perceived passivity and a lack of cooperation in identifying the specific attackers. He expressed his pain regarding the lack of empathy shown immediately after the assault, noting that the worst part is that “when my son was in the ambulance, they celebrated the victory.”
The president of AFC Creil, Sliman Layadi, has since condemned the event, telling BFMTV that “we condemn any form of violence that has no place on a football field.”
🇫🇷‼️ Brutal violence at French football match
30 to 40 masked youths stormed the pitch at Dammarie-les-Lys and attacked players from Meaux, including stabbing 1 victim who was seriously injured and flown away on a helicopter.
The following 4 suspects have been arrested, and… pic.twitter.com/C1YwvC4GKu
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) February 12, 2025Given that the Creil team has a number of Muslim and minority players, many social media users pointed this fact out, which Creil did not appreciate.
“We also wish to firmly denounce the many hateful, insulting, and racist comments circulated for several hours on social networks. Nothing can justify such excesses. Responding to violence with hatred or racism is unacceptable and goes against the human and sporting values we defend,” wrote the club on Facebook.
In response, French commentator Pierre Sautarel wrote on X: “Matthéo’s club thanks Creil’s club and condemns the remarks targeting the latter, even as the supervisor of the attackers refused to communicate their identities. Thus, through the magical mechanism of anti-white anti-racism, the guilty parties end up being presented as victims.”
Le club de Matthéo remercie le club de Creil et condamne les propos visant ce dernier, alors même que l’encadrant des agresseurs a refusé de communiquer leurs identités.
Ainsi, par le ressort magique de l’antiracisme anti-blanc, les coupables se retrouvent présentés comme des… pic.twitter.com/NxQlAS8FNU
— Pierre Sautarel (@FrDesouche) May 10, 2026Matthéo’s father said the incident was not about racism, but emphasized that his pursuit of justice is about safety and accountability. Determined to prevent future tragedies, he announced his intention to file a complaint against the players and management of the other football club.
“I want this story to make noise. There must not be a child killed for us to act,” said the father.
AFC Creil has since issued a formal apology on Facebook, promising an internal investigation and stating that they condemn without reservation any form of violence, whether physical, verbal or behavioral, on and around football fields.
The club said it will take all necessary disciplinary measures against the persons concerned.
🇫🇷This is France.
Two football teams faced off in Paris, one from the Barbès neighborhood and one from the Porte d'Asnières neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/ju1I9pUigc
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) March 6, 2026
