Serbian television pundit Rade Bogdanović has sparked outrage after making racist comments live on air during Belgium's World Cup match against Iran on Sunday. The former Yugoslavia striker, working for national broadcaster RTS, claimed that black players lack concentration, igniting widespread condemnation.
Bogdanović's offensive remarks
During the broadcast of the Group G match, which ended in a 0-0 draw, Bogdanović targeted Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy, who was sent off in the 66th minute for a last-man foul. "At this level, to be the last defender, to miss a ball that is standing still and then get sent off... I've always said these players, and I'm not racist, but black players don't have the concentration to last more than 60 to 80 minutes," Bogdanović said.
He added: "I played with them. Sometimes we had to protect our own players from making mistakes. Modern football doesn't allow this kind of error at World Cup level." When challenged by the presenter, the 56-year-old doubled down: "If we wanted to go into details, we could. They make mistakes too. Of course I'm not generalising, but the majority lack concentration and then situations like this happen."
Belgium's World Cup struggles
Belgium's draw with Iran leaves them facing potential early elimination, having also drawn 1-1 with Egypt in their opening match. The star-studded side now sit third in Group G with two points, behind Egypt (four points) and Iran (two points), with New Zealand bottom on one point. Nathan Ngoy, earning just his sixth cap, was dismissed for a last-man challenge, further damaging Belgium's chances.
Iran, who also drew 2-2 with New Zealand, earned their second successive point. Bogdanović praised Iran's performance: "Iran is already a winner, the age of the team, the experience, the conditions under which they play. I did not see that they were covered by the media, nor did the fans have the conditions to cheer for them."
Reaction and fallout
Bogdanović's comments have been widely condemned as racist and unacceptable. The incident adds to a series of controversies at the 2026 World Cup, including a presenter suspension earlier in the tournament. Egypt later beat New Zealand 3-1 to go top of Group G, with Mohamed Salah scoring the crucial second goal—their first ever World Cup victory in four appearances.
