On Sunday, April 18, news broke that 12 European soccer teams were forming a breakaway “Super League” for the sport in Europe. Europe’s governing body of soccer immediately addressed the news, calling the super league a “cynical project” and confirming that its members would be banned from playing at the national, European, and international level. Many people, including the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, expressed their dissent.

Tension about the league mounted in the following days as fans protested the decision at a match between Liverpool’s premier league and Leeds United. The member teams mostly remained silent.

In the following days, it became evident that the players and coaches of the Super League teams were not themselves consulted in the formation of the league. Tensions rose again as Chelsea, one of the league’s hopefuls, had a Premier League match against Brighton. Fans blocked both teams from entering the Stamford bridge grounds in London, and it took the pleading of Petr Cech, a legendary Chelsea goalkeeper, to break up the crowd. At this point, it was clear that the Super League was in an untenable position, which fell apart only 48 hours after its birth.