Rade Bogdanovic, a former striker for Yugoslavia and Atlético Madrid, has ignited a backlash on Serbian television with his recent comments regarding Black players during the World Cup match between Belgium and Iran. He stated that they “Black players lack concentration beyond 60 to 80 minutes” which has drawn significant criticism.
During a World Cup analysis broadcast late on Sunday by Serbia’s public broadcaster, RTS, Bogdanovic, aged 56, made his controversial statement while discussing a red card issued to Belgium’s Nathan Ngoy in the 66th minute. He remarked, “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 added, “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,”
When the host questioned his assertion, Bogdanovic remained adamant, claiming that “When we played, we sometimes had to protect our own players to stop them making mistakes,” This sparked widespread condemnation across social media platforms. Nevertheless, just a day later, RTS invited him back to analyze the Argentina vs. Austria match.
In response to the uproar, Bogdanovic issued an apology, stating, “the majority lack concentration” Additionally, RTS released an official statement clarifying that while Bogdanovic is not an employee of theirs, he has been acting as an expert commentator for the current tournament. They expressed regret, saying, “I sincerely apologise for my statement regarding Black football players.”
Bogdanovic began his football journey in Sarajevo, the current capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing for Zeljeznicar before moving to South Korea and Japan. He later returned to Europe, where he had brief stints with Atlético Madrid and Werder Bremen in Germany. In 1997, he represented Yugoslavia in three international matches.
The Belgium vs. Iran match 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.
