Following Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over Pachuca in the Club World Cup on Sunday, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso has publicly called for FIFA to take action after defender Antonio Rudiger reported a racist incident. The alleged abuse occurred near the end of the match and involved Pachuca's defender, Gustavo Cabral.
According to reports, Rudiger was visibly upset after exchanging words with Cabral after the final whistle. The Real Madrid defender immediately alerted the Brazilian referee, Ramon Abatti Abel, who then performed FIFA's protocol gesture to signal alleged racial abuse. This gesture, recently unveiled at a FIFA congress in Bangkok, involves the referee crossing his arms in front of his chest, a visual cue to activate the anti-racism protocol.
During the post-match press conference, Alonso addressed the situation, stating, "Toni told us something, we support Toni and we will see what happens. I think the FIFA protocol has been activated to investigate, but if it has happened, all measures should be taken and we support Antonio because it's something unacceptable. In football there is no tolerance for this, and if it happened, then measures should be taken. This is what Antonio has told us and we believe him. It's being investigated now."
Cabral, however, has denied using any racial slurs. He claims that he called Rudiger a "coward," and that the referee misinterpreted his words. Cabral stated, "It was a fight, we collided, he said that I hit him with my hand, and then there was an argument and the referee made the sign of racism. In Argentina, we say "f***ing coward" all the time. I told him the same thing." Pachuca coach Jaime Lozano also said he was unaware of the incident. "I just found out from you, you are letting me know, we did not talk about it in the dressing room, I haven't spoken to Cabral about this, I cannot give you an explanation about it because this is the first (I have heard of) this news."
Despite Cabral's denial, Rudiger's camp insists that racist language was used. FIFA has not yet released a statement.
This incident underscores the ongoing battle against racism in football and highlights FIFA's efforts to combat it. The activation of the anti-racism protocol and Alonso's strong words reflect a zero-tolerance stance against discrimination in the sport. The investigation is currently underway, and the football community awaits the findings and any subsequent actions taken by FIFA.
