Antonio Rudiger Accuses Opponent of Racial Abuse During Club World Cup Match

During a heated 3-1 victory for Real Madrid over Pachuca in the FIFA Club World Cup, Antonio Rudiger reported being subjected to a racial insult from Pachuca defender Gustavo Cabral in stoppage time. The incident prompted the match referee to activate FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol.

The altercation occurred at the end of the match in Charlotte, where Rudiger, visibly upset, approached the referee after exchanging words with Cabral. Witnesses inside the stadium allege that Cabral called Rudiger a highly offensive phrase in Spanish, translating to a racial slur. Cabral later denied this, claiming he used a different insult meaning “f***ing coward.”

Although no card was issued during the incident, the referee adopted FIFA’s ‘No Racism’ gesture, crossing his arms—an initial step in a three-stage disciplinary process. This protocol, introduced in 2024, is designed to address discrimination in football, with further actions such as suspensions or match abandonment being possible if necessary.

Post-match, Madrid’s manager confirmed Rudiger’s claim of racist abuse and expressed full support for the player. He emphasized the importance of FIFA’s investigation and condemned the behavior as unacceptable.

The match saw Madrid overcome challenging conditions, including intense heat and playing with ten men after a red card to Raul Asencio. Jude Bellingham scored the opening goal, with Arda Guler and Federico Valverde adding further goals to secure the win. Madrid now needs to defeat Red Bull Salzburg in their next game to advance to the knockout stages.

Antonio Rudiger (left) has accused Pachuca’s Gustavo Cabral (right) of racially abusing him

The incident took place during Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Pachuca at the Club World Cup

Rudiger reported his concerns to referee Ramon Abatti Abel, who later signaled FIFA’s ‘No Racism’ gesture