FIFA has launched disciplinary proceedings against Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral following allegations of racist abuse directed at Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger during Sunday’s Club World Cup match in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The incident occurred late in the game when Rüdiger and Cabral were involved in a confrontation. Rüdiger then approached referee Ramon Abatti Abel, who responded by crossing his arms in front of his chest—a signal indicating that FIFA’s anti-racism protocol had been activated.
Cabral has denied the allegation, claiming he called Rüdiger a “coward” and used an expletive, but did not make any racist remarks.
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The match, which Real Madrid won 3-1, ended shortly after the incident, with tempers flaring again at the final whistle.
FIFA’s three-step protocol for handling racist incidents includes stopping the match, suspending it, and ultimately abandoning the game if the issue persists.
After the match, Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso backed his player, saying: “Antonio reported a racist incident. In football, there’s zero tolerance for this, and if it happened, action must be taken. We believe Antonio, and it’s now under investigation.”
Cabral offered his version of events, stating: “It was a heated exchange. We collided, he said I hit him, and there was an argument. The referee made the racism gesture, but I was repeating the same words throughout.”
Rüdiger, who previously spoke out against racism while playing for Chelsea in 2021, has been an outspoken advocate for change, saying then that “nothing ever really changes,” but he would “continue to fight.”
The incident comes just days after FIFA faced criticism for seemingly dropping anti-racism messaging during this year’s Club World Cup.
