Daniel Nivel

On 21 June 1998, Daniel Nivel, member of the National Gendarmerie, was assaulted in the city of Lens by German football hooligans during the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He fell into a six-week coma and was left with permanent disability.

One of his attackers was arrested at the scene and tried in France, receiving a jail sentence of five years and being barred from returning to the country. Four others were tried in Essen, a city in their own country, and found guilty, with one being jailed for ten years for attempted murder, and the others receiving shorter sentences for serious bodily harm.

The attack was deemed a national shame by Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl. In the years since, Nivel has been a guest of honour at Germany football matches and a foundation in his name has opposed football hooliganism.

Attack After Germany's 2–2 draw with FR Yugoslavia at the Stade Félix Bollaert, 43-year-old Nivel was one of three members of the National Gendarmerie attacked by hooligans. He was struck by advertising boards and when he was lying on the floor without his helmet, was stamped and kicked in the head. Nivel fell into a coma until 4 August, and was left with permanent disability in his speech and movement.

Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl called the attack a national disgrace and requested that the team withdraw from the tournament. In November, all four were found guilty: Zawacki was sentenced to ten years in prison for attempted murder; Reifschlaeger, Renger and Rauch were convicted of serious bodily harm. They were jailed for six, five, and three-and-a-half years respectively.

Legacy Croatia's coach, Miroslav Blažević, has taken to wearing a kepi as a lucky charm and as a gesture of support for Nivel. Blažević was given the kepi by a colleague of the Daniel Nivel, at the match between Romania and Croatia, a day after the attack. He began to wear the cap for the rest of tournament.

In 2000, the German Football Association (DFB) set up the Daniel Nivel Foundation to confront football hooliganism and support victims. Nivel was also invited to Germany's match against Ukraine at UEFA Euro 2016, in Lille near Lens.

On 16 October 2018, prior to the UEFA Nations League football match between France and Germany, Nivel was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas in Paris.