Antonio Rudiger claims he was racially abused during Club World Cup win over Pachuca, prompting a FIFA probe and strong support from Xabi Alonso.
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Real Madrid beat Pachuca 3-1 in CWCRudiger accuses Cabral of racist slurAlonso demands zero tolerance for abuseFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Madrid's 3-1 win over Mexican club Pachuca in the Club World Cup was overshadowed by serious allegations made by defender Rudiger. The German international accused Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral of racially abusing him late in the match. Rudiger reportedly told the referee he was called a "f*cking black guy", prompting the activation of FIFA's anti-racism protocol. Cabral has denied the accusation, claiming he said "f*ckng coward" instead.
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The incident, which occurred in stoppage time, led to heightened tensions between players, with a second clash between Rudiger and Cabral after the final whistle. Referee Ramon Abatti halted the match momentarily after receiving Rudiger's complaint and made the crossed-arm gesture signalling a racism-related issue. According to FIFA has since launched a formal investigation. The case comes at a time when FIFA is under scrutiny for scaling back visible anti-racism campaigns at the tournament.
WHAT XABI ALONSO SAID
Madrid boss Alonso strongly supported Rudiger after the game, stating: "Toni told us something, FIFA protocol has been activated and an investigation is underway. We believe him. It's unacceptable."
On the match itself, Alonso praised his team's discipline and adaptability after going down to 10 men early due to Marco Asensio's red card: "We were very mature, disciplined, and waited for our moments. These three points are very valuable, both in terms of football and morale."
DID YOU KNOW?
The alleged incident occurred at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rudiger has previously spoken out about racism in football, notably during his time at Chelsea. FIFA's three-step protocol allows for match suspension or abandonment in cases of racism.
