Real Madrid star claims Pachuca captain called him ‘negro de mierda’ in shocking stoppage-time clash – but Argentine denies using racial abuse
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has sparked a major racism investigation after accusing an opponent of directing vile racial abuse at him during Sunday’s Club World Cup victory.
The German international claims Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral called him “negro de mierda” – a shocking Spanish racial slur – during a heated stoppage-time confrontation in Charlotte.
But in an extraordinary twist, the 39-year-old Argentine defender insists he actually said “cagon de mierda”, meaning “f***ing coward” – a phrase that sounds similar but carries no racial connotations.
REFEREE ACTIVATES PROTOCOL
The explosive incident occurred in the dying moments of Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over the Mexican side in their Group H fixture.
A visibly furious Rudiger immediately approached Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti Abel after the verbal altercation with Cabral, demanding action be taken.
The referee responded by crossing his arms in front of his chest – FIFA’s designated ‘No Racism Gesture’ – officially activating the world governing body’s anti-discrimination protocol.
Stadium sources suggest Cabral allegedly used the Spanish racial slur, though the veteran defender vehemently denies any racist intent.
XABI ALONSO: ‘WE BELIEVE ANTONIO’
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso threw his full support behind Rudiger, confirming the defender had reported receiving racist abuse.
“That’s what Rüdiger said, and we believe him,” Alonso told reporters in his post-match press conference.
“It is important to have zero tolerance in these kinds of situations. FIFA now is investigating. That’s all I can say.”
The Spanish giants’ boss described the alleged abuse as “unacceptable” and emphasised: “If it has happened, all measures should be taken and we support Antonio.”
CABRAL’S DENIAL
In a desperate defence, Cabral claimed his words had been completely misinterpreted by the German centre-back.
“It was just an argument,” the Argentine told reporters after the match. “The referee signalled racism, but nothing happened.”
He insisted: “I used the phrase ‘cagón de mierda’, which is something we say a lot in Argentina. It’s not racist. I repeated the same thing over and over.”
Cabral added: “If you check the video, you’ll see that I was telling him ‘you f**ing sht, get up.’ That’s what I said. I never used anything racial or offensive in that way.”
TUNNEL CONFRONTATION
The ugly scenes didn’t end on the pitch, with Cabral revealing the pair continued their heated exchange in the tunnel after the final whistle.
According to the Pachuca captain, Rudiger had threatened him during their on-field clash, saying: “I’ll see you outside.”
“We were arguing in the tunnel, but it didn’t go any further,” Cabral admitted to reporters.
FIFA INVESTIGATION
FIFA has confirmed it is reviewing the matter and will follow established procedures to determine whether disciplinary action is warranted.
Under FIFA’s anti-discrimination policy, any proven case of racial abuse could result in severe sanctions, including match suspensions and potential lengthy bans.
If found guilty, Cabral could face a minimum 10-game suspension or a ban for a specified time period.
PACHUCA BACK THEIR CAPTAIN
Pachuca coach Jaime Lozano leapt to his captain’s defence, expressing complete faith in the veteran defender’s character.
“I’ll talk to him, and knowing him from before, things like that have never happened with Pachuca players,” Lozano said.
He added emphatically: “I can put my neck on the line for my captain.”
The Mexican coach claimed he was unaware of the incident until informed by reporters after the match.
CRITICISM OF FIFA
The incident has overshadowed what was Alonso’s first victory since taking charge of Real Madrid and comes amid criticism of FIFA’s anti-racism efforts.
The Athletic reported that a ‘no racism’ campaign was prepared for the Club World Cup but never actually implemented at the tournament.
Campaigners have slammed FIFA for allegedly dropping its anti-racism message for the prestigious competition.
RUDIGER’S RETURN
The controversy marred what should have been a positive return for Rudiger, who came off the bench after recovering from injury.
The former Chelsea defender, known for his outspoken stance against racism in football, immediately brought the matter to officials’ attention.
The incident sparked a brief melee on the pitch, with players from both sides getting involved in the confrontation.
REAL’S HEROIC VICTORY
Despite being reduced to 10 men after just seven minutes when Raul Asencio was sent off, Real Madrid secured a crucial 3-1 victory in sweltering 33-degree heat.
Jude Bellingham scored a fine left-footed goal to earn the MVP award, but the post-match focus shifted entirely to the racism allegations.
The victory keeps Real Madrid’s Club World Cup campaign on track, though the shadow of this incident threatens to overshadow their on-field achievements.
FOOTBALL’S RACISM BATTLE
The alleged incident is the latest in a long line of racism controversies to plague football, despite repeated efforts to stamp out discrimination.
FIFA’s anti-racism protocols were introduced to provide a clear framework for dealing with such incidents, but critics argue more needs to be done.
As the investigation continues, the football world waits to see whether Cabral will face punishment or if his explanation of a linguistic misunderstanding will be accepted.
Do you think enough is being done to tackle racism in football? Have your say in the comments below
Antonio Rüdiger at the 2025 Copa del Rey final
Photo by Junta de Andalucía, taken on 26 April 2025, used under the Creative Commons Attribution‑ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license
