Rade Bogdanovic, a former striker for Yugoslavia and Atlético Madrid, has ignited outrage on Serbian television following his controversial remarks regarding Black players during a World Cup analysis of the Belgium vs. Iran match.
During a program aired by Serbia’s public broadcaster (RTS) late Sunday, Bogdanovic, 56, stated that “Black players lack concentration beyond 60 to 80 minutes” This comment came while discussing the red card issued to Belgium’s Nathan Ngoy in the 66th minute.
He elaborated, saying, “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 further claimed, “When we played, we sometimes had to protect our own players to stop them making mistakes,”
Despite being challenged by the show’s host, Bogdanovic stood firm on his assertion, insisting that “the majority lack concentration” His statements have sparked significant backlash and condemnation across social media platforms.
Notably, RTS has not issued a statement or apology regarding Bogdanovic’s comments. Remarkably, just a day after the incident, he returned to the studio as an analyst for the Argentina vs. Austria match.
Bogdanovic’s football career began in his hometown of Sarajevo, now the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing for Zeljeznicar before moving to South Korea and then Japan. He later returned to Europe, featuring briefly for Atlético and subsequently joining Germany’s Werder Bremen. He earned three caps for Yugoslavia in 1997.
In the Group G match held in Los Angeles, Belgium and Iran ended in a 0-0 draw, leaving Iran in second place and Belgium in third as both teams vie for advancement to the next stage.
