Pachuca Captain Denies Racist Slur, Says He Called Rudiger a “Coward” During Heated Exchange

Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral has denied allegations that he racially abused Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger during a fiery confrontation in their Club World Cup Group H clash in Charlotte.

The controversy erupted during stoppage time on Sunday, when Rudiger angrily approached Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti Abel following a tense exchange with Cabral.

The referee responded by making the crossed-arms ‘No to Racism’ gesture — the first step in FIFA’s newly established three-step protocol to address discriminatory incidents on the pitch.

According to sources inside the stadium, Cabral was alleged to have used a racial slur in Spanish — “negro de mierda” — which translates to a highly offensive term in English. However, Cabral firmly rejected the accusation after the match.

“There was nothing racist,” he told reporters. “I called him a ‘cagón de mierda’ — a f***ing coward — like we say in Argentina. That’s all. There was a bit of a struggle. I got kicked. He claimed I hit him with my hand. We argued, but it didn’t go beyond that.”

Cabral insisted that his words had been misinterpreted. “The referee made the racism gesture, but I kept repeating the same thing: ‘f***ing coward.’ That’s a phrase, not an insult with racist intent.”

The Pachuca captain also claimed Rudiger tried to escalate the confrontation. “He was saying, ‘I’ll see you outside.’ He was gesturing like he wanted to fight. I was angry too, we argued in the tunnel, but it didn’t escalate.”

Cabral said teammates from both sides witnessed the exchange and could confirm his version of events.

FIFA has yet to comment publicly on the incident, but under its updated 2024 anti-racism measures, any suspected discriminatory behavior prompts an immediate investigation. The match referee’s use of the ‘No Racism’ signal indicates the matter is being formally reviewed.

Rudiger, who has previously spoken out against racism in football, has not released a statement.