A heated moment marred Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Pachuca at the Club World Cup on Sunday, as German defender Antonio Rudiger accused Pachuca’s Gustavo Cabral of racially abusing him during the closing moments of the match.
The alleged incident occurred in stoppage time at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, when Rudiger — who had come on as a second-half substitute — confronted referee Ramon Abatti Abel after an exchange with Cabral. The situation prompted the referee to activate FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol by making the official crossed-arms gesture, signaling a potential case of racist abuse on the pitch.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, Rudiger claimed that Cabral directed a racial slur at him in Spanish, allegedly calling him “negro de mierda”, a highly offensive term translating to “fing n.” Cabral, however, has denied the accusation, asserting instead that he used the phrase “cagón de mierda”, which means “f*ing coward.”
The use of the crossed-arms signal by the referee indicates the beginning of a formal review process under FIFA’s updated 2024 anti-racism regulations. The gesture marks the first stage in a three-step protocol that can lead to match suspensions or more serious sanctions if racial abuse is confirmed.
FIFA is expected to further investigate the incident in the coming days, as both teams await the outcome of the review.
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