The Heysel Tragedy

On May 29, 1985, Heysel Stadium hosted the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus; the stadium was packed, and across Italy, families in the cursed Block Z prepared for the trip, unaware of the tragedy that would unfold that day.

Thirty minutes of horror after the wall collapsed; survivors recall lost loved ones and chaos, while players and officials debate if the match should continue amid the tragedy.

Bodies lay behind the stands, people searched for loved ones, and the injured were rushed to hospitals; backstage, officials debated playing the match as 400 million viewers watched in shock.

After the Heysel tragedy, guilt loomed but no one confessed; archives and testimonies reveal failures, from authorities to UEFA, fueling controversy over who was truly responsible.

An extraordinary trial opened at the Brussels Palace of Justice on October 18, 1988, a trial with such intense media coverage as Belgium had rarely experienced.

Thirty-seven years after Heysel, victims wrestle with forgiveness; an English hero is honored, but families struggle with blame; the tragedy's legacy still haunts players and raises questions on soccer violence.