​IRL streamer NEON ran into trouble getting into the World Cup venue to watch Spain face Belgium on Friday. Despite Spain ultimately winning 2-1 and securing a spot in the semi-finals against France, NEON’s entry to the stadium hit a snag at the gate.
Before the match kicked off, NEON dressed as Spanish national team star Lamine Yamal, but a ticket issue prevented security from admitting him. A photo caption credits Marvin Ibo Guengoer of GES Sportfoto/Getty Images for documenting the moment. Initially, one security guard appeared ready to allow the streamer in so he could watch the game, but a second guard objected, saying, “no, we need a real ticket.”
NEON later explained that he had scanned to enter twice, but it seemed he did not have the actual ticket on his phone; instead, he only had a screenshot of a ticket, which security did not accept. In the footage, NEON can be heard insisting, “look I’m Lamine Yamal,” hoping that his impersonation would sway the guards, but it didn’t lead to a different outcome.
After another security guard approached, NEON clarified: “I just got the tickets 30 minutes before the game, so there was no time to transfer them; he walked me in, so they had to scan them twice, my friend, these are the tickets.” A member of the security team responded, “You’re not doing anything wrong, we just can’t take screenshots for you to get to where you need to get to.”
NEON then called the person who scanned him in the first time, but the clip concluded without showing him being granted access to the actual stands; he was told to wait. As of now, NEON has not posted an update on Instagram confirming whether he ultimately gained entry to the Spain vs Belgium match.
This incident underscores how ticket transfer rules and the acceptance of digital representations versus screenshots can complicate entry, even for fans and content creators trying to share a live moment at a major international event. The complexity of securing timely transfers—especially when tickets are obtained close to kickoff—can lead to tense exchanges at stadium gates, highlighting the strict enforcement of entry protocols that often disrupt even the best-prepared spectators.