‘Manifestation of desire for world peace’: Local celebrity streaker named as he goes viral for holding up Granada vs Man Utd clash

The hairy streaker who slipped into the behind-closed-doors match between Granada and Manchester United and charged onto the pitch stark naked has been named as peace-loving local exhibitionist Olmo Garcia.

Players and fans watching around the world got an eyeful when Garcia streaked across the turf at the Estadio Municipal Nuevo Los Carmenes in Spain on Thursday night, evading security staff before rolling around theatrically on the pitch.

Play was held up in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg before Garcia was eventually escorted off the pitch.

Garcia was eventually taken away. © Reuters

The match was billed as the biggest in history for Spanish minnows Granada, who were playing in the nation’s fourth tier as recently as 2006.

The occasion was clearly too big to miss for Garcia, who according to the local press has a well-known penchant for going out in public in his birthday suit.

According to Marca, Garcia is a local businessman who can often catch the public unawares with his au naturel displays.

That includes a stunt at a local cemetery several years ago as well as trips to the shopping center.

He’s reportedly been charged several times down the years for 'obscene exhibition' and has earned the nickname 'The Nude Man of Granada'.

Garcia has apparently explained his penchant for naturism as “a manifestation of his desire for world peace.”

“For me it is a way of claiming purity, peace, of showing that when one takes off one's clothes he is more sincere with all that surrounds him," Garcia was quoted as saying in one interview.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer chose not to look. © Reuters

Garcia's dedication to his craft seems quite remarkable, and according to reports he slipped into the stadium at 7am on the day of the match in Granada, then hid for 14 hours under a canvas before popping out. 

Fans and pundits, though, had a field day with Garcia’s antics.

“A naked man just ran across the pitch and rolled around. I didn’t realise it was so cold. And he’s not using Manscaped,” jested United reporter Andy Mitten. 

Others thought Garcia was stark naked apart from a mask, although he appeared to merely be sporting a bushy beard on his face and down below.

When play resumed, Utd took command of the tie with a 2-0 win thanks to a first-half goal from Marcus Rashford and a late penalty from Portuguese spot-kick specialist Bruno Fernandes.

The second leg takes place at Old Trafford next Thursday.