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Ramón Díaz’s Fiery Outburst: Sexist Slurs and VAR Woes Rock Brazilian football

November 9, 2025 – The intense pressure cooker of Brazilian football has once again boiled over, this time with veteran Argentine coach Ramón Díaz at the center of a storm. Following a critical draw between Internacional and Bahia, Díaz unleashed a torrent of controversial remarks that have ignited a fierce debate about sexism in the sport and the role of technology in officiating.

The incident occurred after a match where Internacional, Díaz’s team, found themselves on the wrong side of a contentious officiating decision.The coach, visibly frustrated, didn’t hold back, directing his ire not just at the referees but also making deeply troubling comments about female officials.

“Let us be very careful,let the club be very careful with the referees. With what happened today. And a game has already passed in which Romero scored the goal and they also disallowed it. Let them be very careful. We have to be very careful about this.I’m going to talk to the president. It cannot be that, in such an significant club, this happens, what happened today. Because it was unbelievable. Football is for men, it’s not for girls, it’s for men.”

Ramón Díaz, post-match comments after Internacional vs. Bahia

These statements, particularly the assertion that “Football is for men, it’s not for girls,” have drawn widespread condemnation.This isn’t the first time Díaz has been accused of making sexist remarks. In 2024, while managing vasco, he publicly questioned the competence of women in officiating VAR decisions, stating, Regarding the referees, we can’t say much. There is VAR. In the last match, at home, a lady, a woman, interpreted a penalty in a different way. Football is different.Especially that VAR is decided by a woman.

Such rhetoric is not only offensive but also undermines the progress made towards gender equality in sports. In a landscape where female athletes and officials are increasingly breaking barriers, Díaz’s comments echo outdated and harmful stereotypes. This raises a critical question for sports enthusiasts and governing bodies alike: How do we ensure that football, at all levels, is a space that respects and values everyone, regardless of gender?

The VAR Debate: A Coach’s Frustration or a pattern of Bias?

Díaz’s frustration with officiating, especially concerning VAR, is a sentiment shared by many coaches and fans across the globe. The introduction of video assistant referees