São Paulo Player Accused of Xenophobic Abuse Against Venezuelan Footballer

Brazilian police have formally accused Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla, who plays for São Paulo FC, of xenophobic racial abuse toward Venezuelan player Miguel Navarro, according to a report by Cooperativa.cl. The incident allegedly occurred during a Copa Libertadores match on May 27, when São Paulo hosted Argentina’s Talleres de Córdoba at the Morumbi stadium.

Navarro claims Bobadilla insulted him by calling him a "starving Venezuelan," which deeply affected the defender, bringing him to tears on the field. He considered leaving the match but was persuaded to stay by his teammates.

Bobadilla gave a statement to police on Wednesday and was formally charged afterward. The São Paulo Public Security Secretariat confirmed that the investigation remains active “to fully clarify the facts.” Under Brazilian law, racial insult carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Navarro filed an official complaint after the game and stated, “I will never be ashamed of my roots. There is no place for hate in football. I will see this through to the end.”

The match ended in a 2-1 win for São Paulo, closing out the final group-stage round of the Libertadores.