Former Atletico Madrid striker Rade Bogdanovic has faced widespread backlash after making racist comments about black players during a World Cup broadcast on Serbian public broadcaster RTS. The 56-year-old pundit suggested that 'black players lack concentration' while discussing Belgium's goalless draw with Iran on June 24, 2026.
Bogdanovic's comments and immediate reaction
During the post-match analysis, Bogdanovic focused on the red card shown to Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy in the second half. Ngoy underhit a pass to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois before fouling Iran's Mehdi Taremi. Bogdanovic then made the inflammatory statement: 'I have always said those players – and I'm really not racist – but black players lack the concentration to last more than 60 to 80 minutes.' He added, 'When we played, we sometimes had to protect our own players to stop them making mistakes.'
The show's host immediately challenged the comments, but Bogdanovic doubled down, insisting that 'the majority lack concentration.' The former Yugoslavia international, who made three appearances for his country in 1997, later issued an apology through Reuters, saying: 'I sincerely apologise for my statement regarding black football players.'
Broadcaster's apology and context
RTS also issued an official apology, stating: 'We would like to take this opportunity to apologise, as a broadcaster, for the statement made in our programme concerning members of a particular race.' The broadcaster clarified that Bogdanovic was only working with them as an 'expert commentator' for the tournament.
This incident follows a similar controversy earlier in the World Cup, when former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart made an offensive 'joke' about Japan's players 'looking alike' during a broadcast. Van der Vaart later apologized, saying his intention was 'never to insult, hurt, or discriminate against anyone.'
Impact and ongoing dialogue
The backlash against Bogdanovic highlights ongoing issues of racism in football commentary. Belgium's draw with Iran left them seeking their first win of the tournament, with the red card to Ngoy proving costly. The incident has sparked renewed calls for broadcasters to vet pundits more carefully and for stricter penalties against racist remarks.
