Germany says it saw fewer security problems than expected during Euro 2024

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities had fewer security problems and crimes to deal with than they expected at the European Championship, the country's top security official said Monday.

The tournament ended on Sunday with Spain beating England 2-1 in the final in Berlin and no reports of serious disturbances. That capped a month-long event which mostly saw only isolated and relatively minor incidents, a contrast with violence at some past tournaments.

Germany's Interior Ministry said that about 2.6 million people attended matches in the 10 host cities, and another 6 million watched games in the designated fan zones.

Over the course of the tournament, it said, there was a total of about 170 arrests and 320 temporary detentions. Police recorded about 2,340 offenses linked to the tournament, including some 700 involving bodily harm and 120 thefts. There were about 140 cases involving violence against police officers.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the country had been “prepared for all conceivable dangers from Islamist terrorism, through hooligan violence to cyberattacks and dangerous drone flights.”

“There were significantly fewer security incidents and offenses than our security authorities had expected beforehand at an event with millions of people,” Faeser said in a statement. “Above all, the very high police presence across the country was decisive in this.”

Germany introduced temporary border controls at all its frontiers during Euro 2024, something that has become standard practice during such events in Europe's nominally ID check-free travel zone, the Schengen area. Those are due to run through Friday.

They will then be dropped at the borders with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. However, the government is ordering checks on the border with France before and during the upcoming Olympic Games, and longer-standing checks on the eastern and southern borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland that were motivated by concerns about migration will be kept in place.

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

FILE - Police officers patrol near England's fans before the start of the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. Germany's top security official says authorities had fewer security problems and crimes to deal with than they expected at the European Championship. The tournament ended on Sunday with Spain beating England 2-1 in the final in Berlin and no reports of serious disturbances. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

FILE -England fans speak with police officers as they celebrate ahead of a semi final match between Netherlands and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Germany's top security official says authorities had fewer security problems and crimes to deal with than they expected at the European Championship. The tournament ended on Sunday with Spain beating England 2-1 in the final in Berlin and no reports of serious disturbances. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

FILE - Netherlands fans walk with flags next to police officers during celebration ahead of a semi final match between Netherlands and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Germany's top security official says authorities had fewer security problems and crimes to deal with than they expected at the European Championship. The tournament ended on Sunday with Spain beating England 2-1 in the final in Berlin and no reports of serious disturbances. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

Pyrotechnics go off as Spanish players celebrate after they won the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Police officers walk near England's fans before the start of the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Spain's Dani Olmo holds up the trophy to the fans after winning the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. Spain won 2-1. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

MUNICH (AP) — Harry Kane broke Wayne Rooney’s record for the most Champions League goals by an English player when the Bayern Munich striker scored four times against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

It was one of several records broken as Bayern routed Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in one of the highest-scoring games in Champions League history — and an emphatic start to European competition for new coach Vincent Kompany.

Kane took his tally to 33 in the competition by scoring in the 19th, 53rd, 73rd and 78th minutes — three of the goals were penalties — to surpass Rooney's record of 30.

Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot to give Bayern the lead over the Croatian club after his teammate Aleksandar Pavlovic was fouled by Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel.

That drew Kane level with Rooney's record of 30, and he scored his 31st on a rebound after goalkeeper Ivan Nevistic parried Joshua Kimmich's shot in the 57th.

Kane scored two more from the penalty spot to extend his record.

Four other Bayern players scored in the emphatic win and there were two goals for new signing Michael Olise on his Champions League debut after signing from Crystal Palace.

Leon Goretzka’s header in stoppage time made Bayern the first team to score nine goals in the Champions League era. Some teams, including Bayern, achieved that feat in the old European Cup. It was the highest-scoring game in the competition in terms of total goals since Borussia Dortmund beat Legia Warsaw 8-4 in 2016.

Kane has scored 12 Champions League goals since moving to Bayern a year ago and scored 21 before that for Tottenham.

Kane now has 53 goals in 50 games in all competitions since moving to Bayern.

Kane has scored nine goals in his last three games for club and country including two for England against Finland in his 100th international game and a hat trick Saturday for Bayern against Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga.

Kane and Kylian Mbappé were joint top scorers in last season’s Champions League with eight goals each.

Another record was broken when Thomas Müller came off the bench to play his 152nd Champions League game for Bayern. That’s the most for a player for one club, breaking a tie with former Barcelona player Xavi Hernandez. Müller has made the joint fourth-most appearances in the competition of any player.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty sport during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Harry Kane, right, celebrates after scoring his sides 4th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty sport during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring the opening goal from the penalty sport during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Harry Kane scores the opening goal from the penalty sport during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Harry Kane, right, celebrates after scoring his sides 5th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Munich's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his side's sixth goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Dinamo Zagreb in Munich, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP)