Ex-Serbia striker Rade Bogdanovic apologizes for racist on-air World Cup comments

What happened

During RTS’s live World Cup broadcast of Belgium’s goalless draw with Iran on Sunday, former striker and commentator Rade Bogdanovic reacted to Nathan Ngoy’s 66th-minute red card.

“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 that in his playing career, “we sometimes had to protect our own players to stop them making mistakes.” When the host pushed back, Bogdanovic insisted “the majority lack concentration.”

Backlash and apology

The comments were widely condemned online and in the international press. Bogdanovic later issued a statement to Reuters:

“I sincerely apologise for my statement regarding black football players.”

Serbian public broadcaster RTS also apologised, clarifying that Bogdanovic was not an employee but a contracted expert commentator.

Quick return

Despite the furor, Bogdanovic was back in the RTS studio on Monday analysing Argentina’s 2–0 Group J win over Austria. The Guardian noted that RTS had initially not commented, though both the BBC and Reuters reported later apologies from the station and Bogdanovic.

Previous incident

Several outlets recalled that Bogdanovic had attracted similar criticism in 2019, when he argued Borussia Dortmund’s slump coincided with a decision to field four black defenders late in the previous Bundesliga season.

Match context

The draw left Belgium third in Group G, behind Egypt and Iran, putting their knockout‑stage hopes in jeopardy. Ngoy, a 23‑year‑old Lille defender, had been one of Belgium’s bright spots before his dismissal.