The controversy that shakes the central axis of Bielsa’s Uruguay

The cultural differences between England and Latin America are evident. If that factor is crossed with an allusion to a moral and even criminally punishable conduct in the European country, and in much of the world, what results is a mess for the protagonist. In that scenario is, these days, Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, one of the Uruguayan stars that Marcelo Bielsa has fighting for qualification for the 2026 World Cup. La Celeste is in third place, with 15 points, three less than the leader, Argentina, and one below the runner-up, Colombia.

What did the Tottenham midfielder do? Referring to Son Heung-min, his teammate at Tottenham, in a festive tone, but which ended up being considered racist behaviourwhich can get you into trouble.

Bentancur was accused by the FA, the Football Association, of infringing the regulations related to this conduct. What did the former Juventus player do? A joke in bad taste. During a television interview in which the host asked him for the shirt of the Asian, the emblematic figure of the team, the Uruguayan answered with a singular witticism.Sonny’s? Could be Sonny’s cousin too, since they all look the same.“, he replied.

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More about SoccerSon Heung-min, figure del Tottenham. (Photo: Reuters)

The laughter that was sparked gave way to an awkward process. According to The Guardian, the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out reported a “significant amount” of complaints. There was also an uproar internally. Bentancur offered his apologies to the South Korean international and captain of Spurs, who, far from justifying him, maintained that his teammate had “made a mistake”.

Bentancur could very well be sanctioned under the regulations.Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview. The Tottenham midfielder is alleged to have breached FA rule E3.1 by acting inappropriately and/or using abusive and/or insulting words and/or bringing the game into disrepute.“, states the specific provision by which a disciplinary file was opened against him.