‘We believe him’: CWC rocked by racism row that sparked post-match confrontation

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said his defender Antonio Rudiger had complained of a racist incident at the end of Sunday’s 3-1 Club World Cup win over Mexican club Pachuca.

Rudiger was visibly angered after an exchange of words with Pachuca’s Gustavo Cabral after the final whistle and spoke to Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti Abel.

Asked about the incident in the post-match press conference, Alonso said: “Toni told us something, we support Toni and we will see what happens.

Watch every game of The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

“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,” he said.

Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger, front, gestures during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Real Madrid and CF Pachuca in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Source: AP

Pachuca coach Jaime Lozano was also asked about the incident but said he was unaware of what had happened.

“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,” he said.

“It cannot be justified at all but I will talk to him, I’ve known him for a little while and and I have never heard of something like that with Pachuca players. I cannot defend my captain at any cost but I will talk about it with him,” he said.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Players and referees gather as Antonio Rudiger complained of racism. Source: FOX SPORTS

EARLY RED CARD DRAMA FOR REAL

Real Madrid shrugged off an early red card to defeat Mexico’s Pachuca 3-1 and take a big step towards the knockout stage of the Club World Cup on Sunday.

The result leaves Madrid, under new head coach Xabi Alonso, on top of Group H with four points while Pachuca are eliminated after two defeats.

Saudi club Al Hilal, who held Real in their opener, face second-placed Salzburg later on Sunday.

The Spanish giants were in trouble after just seven minutes when Raul Sencio was shown a straight red card after he pulled down Salomon Rondon with the Venezuelan clear on goal.

That left the Liga MX team sensing the chance for an upset in front of 70,248 fans at the home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

Pachuca quickly went close when Brazilian Kenedy saw a shot parried out by Thibaut Courtois and the Belgian keeper did brilliantly to deny Alan Bautista’s follow up shot.

Real Madrid's Raul Asencio leaves the field of play after being sent off during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Real Madrid and CF Pachuca in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Source: AP

But Real were able to get a grip on the game in midfield and slow the pace down, limiting opportunities for Pachuca.

It was a superbly worked team goal that provided the breakthrough for Madrid in the 35th minute.

Gonzalo Garcia’s clever flick released Fran Garcia down the left and he looked inside to Jude Bellingham who took the ball in his stride and then buried a left-foot shot into the corner.

Pachuca were not disheartened through and Courtois had to be alert again to push away a low drive from the dangerous Kenedy.

But two minutes before the break Real doubled their advantage when Trent Alexander-Arnold drilled a low cross in from the right and Arda Guler collected Gonzalo’s deft lay-off and fired home.

Pachuca created a pile of chances after the break, peppering Courtois’s goal, but the Belgian was up to the task denying Brazilian substitute John Kennedy and efforts from Rondon and Bryan Gonzalez.

Javier Eduardo Lopez missed the best opportunity for the Mexican side, firing wide after some sloppy defending from Madrid.

The outcome was put beyond doubt in the 70th minute when Federico Valverde slid the ball home after a smart exchange with Brahim Diaz.

Pachuca finally got some reward for their determined effort when Elias Montiel’s shot on the turn was deflected off Aurelien Tchouameni and flew past the wrong-footed Courtois.

Real Madrid's English midfielder #05 Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group H football match between Spain's Real Madrid and Mexico's Pachuca at the Bank of America stadium in Charlotte on June 22, 2025. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP) Source: AFP

BELLINGHAM SET FOR SURGERY

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham confirmed Sunday he will undergo surgery on a long-term shoulder issue after the Club World Cup ends.

The England international has been struggling with discomfort after dislocating it in a La Liga match in November 2023, and playing with a brace under his shirt since then.

With Madrid keen on securing Club World Cup victory, they scheduled the operation for after the final, with Bellingham potentially missing the start of the La Liga season as he recovers.

“I’ve got the point where... I’m fed up with the brace, and having to tug on it and having (other) players tug on it, and it rearranging all the time,” Bellingham told DAZN after Real Madrid beat Pachuca 3-1 in Charlotte.

“I’ve got a surgery scheduled for after the tournament, I think we scheduled it a few days after the final obviously, so I’ll go and do the surgery and get it fixed.

“I’m really happy about that, it’s been a long time coming. I think I’ve come to the end of my patience with the brace.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 22: Jude Bellingham #5 of Real Madrid C. F. celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Real Madrid CF and CF Pachuca at Bank of America Stadium on June 22, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Michael Owens/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Michael Owens / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) Source: AFP

“The physio here and the doctor here have been unbelievable helping me to be fine playing game in game out, (but) I’m at that point now where I’m ready to have a free shoulder and free body in terms of the brace.” Recovery from the surgery could take up to 12 weeks according to reports, so as well as Madrid’s first league games, he may also miss England World Cup qualifiers in September against Andorra and Serbia.

Bellingham found the net in the win over Madrid’s Mexican opponents, a day after his younger brother Jobe Bellingham struck for Borussia Dortmund.

The Madrid midfielder said he had been thinking about getting even ahead of the Pachuca game, which was new coach Xabi Alonso’s first victory at the helm of Los Blancos.

“Everyone’s been caning me yesterday, saying he’s better than me. I had to do something today,” he added.

“We’re one-one now and we’ll see for the rest of the tournament.”

Cup Favourites? Juventus dominate: 4-1! | 03:56

GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT?

Kenan Yildiz scored two goals and had a hand in another as Juventus beat Wydad Casablanca 4-1 at the Club World Cup on Sunday to close in on a place in the last 16.

The Turkish international forward was unlucky not to be credited with Juve’s early opener which went down as an own goal by Abdelmounaim Boutouil.

However, there was no doubt that Yildiz was the scorer of the second with a tremendous strike from outside the box.

Thembinkosi Lorch pulled one back for Wydad before the break, but Yildiz got his second of the afternoon on 69 minutes before a late Dusan Vlahovic penalty sealed the victory for the Italian side.

Having already defeated Emirati side Al Ain 5-0 in their opening match, Juve have scored nine goals and have the maximum six points after two outings in Group G.

TOPSHOT - Juventus' Turkish midfielder #10 Kenan Yildiz (L) is congratulated by Juventus' French forward #20 Randal Kolo Muani after scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group G football match between Italy's Juventus and Morocco's Wydad AC at the Lincoln Financial Field stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2025. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) Source: AFP

Their qualification for the knockout phase will be assured if group rivals Manchester City avoid defeat against Al Ain later.

That puts Igor Tudor’s Juve in an excellent position with a final group game to come on Thursday against City in Orlando.

“I’m happy. It was not easy. It was hot, but it was a good win. At the end our quality came out,” Tudor told broadcaster DAZN, before hailing the performance of Yildiz.

“He has great potential. He has a lot of skills but more important than skills is his brain, that is the key. A wonderful player, so there is a big future in front of him.”

- Fast start -

Meanwhile Moroccan giants Wydad are eliminated with this defeat following a 2-0 loss at the hands of City in their first outing.

Yildiz, the 20-year-old German-born winger, was among the scorers against Al Ain and he was the star of the show here in front of 31,975 fans at Lincoln Financial Field.

Juve, who finished fourth in Serie A in the campaign just finished, went with an unchanged starting line-up meaning the likes of Vlahovic and Manuel Locatelli began the game on the bench.

Prolific against Al Ain, they wasted no time in putting the team that finished third in the Moroccan league to the sword.

Juventus' Turkish midfielder #10 Kenan Yildiz (R) is congratulated by Juventus' French forward #20 Randal Kolo Muani after scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group G football match between Italy's Juventus and Morocco's Wydad AC at the Lincoln Financial Field stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2025. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) Source: AFP

The opening goal came on six minutes as Khephren Thuram teed up Yildiz and his shot beat goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid with the aid of a slight deflection off Boutouil.

It was 2-0 on 16 minutes via a superb effort, as Andrea Cambiaso went on a piercing run in from the left before laying the ball off for Yildiz to smash in a shot on the half-volley into the top corner.

Wydad quickly pulled one back as veteran Nordin Amrabat’s fine pass in behind the defence released South African winger Lorch to control and clip a shot past the goalkeeper.

Yet Juventus were well on top and Cambiaso hit the post just prior to the hour mark before Randal Kolo Muani somehow failed to turn in Lloyd Kelly’s ball across the face of goal.

Juventus' Kenan Yildiz waves as he is substituted during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Juventus and Wydad AC in Philadelphia, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola) Source: AP

Their third goal did arrive just after the midway point in the second half when France forward Kolo Muani collected possession on the left and then slipped in Yildiz who finished into the corner.

It was his third goal at the tournament so far, and his 12th in all competitions since the season began.

Yildiz had been withdrawn before the fourth goal arrived in stoppage time, substitute Vlahovic stroking in a spot-kick awarded after he had been hauled down by Guilherme Ferreira.

Click here to read article