Bolivia Goalkeeper Refuses Penalty Save in U15 Protest

England Under-15’s campaign at the youth tournament in Azerbaijan has drawn scrutiny following two incidents within a short time, voetbalkrant.com reported.

Bolivia Goalkeeper Refuses to Defend Last-Minute Penalty

England secured a 3-2 victory against Bolivia in a 57th-place play-off match at the U15 World Cup, but the winning goal came amid an unusual demonstration of protest. The referee pointed to the penalty spot following a foul on West Ham player Emmanuel Famokun inside the area. Bolivian players vehemently protested, insisting the contact occurred outside the box, but the match official upheld the decision.

In response, the Bolivian goalkeeper walked away from the goal line and stood demonstratively against the goalpost, declining to attempt a save as Famokun slotted the penalty home. Emotions flared further after the final whistle, resulting in a pitch brawl as several Bolivian players approached the referee before English players intervened to protect the match officials.

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During the 57th place play-off betweeen England & Bolivia at the U15 World Cup, England were awarded a last min penalty. In protest at the decision Bolivia allowed England to score the penalty before rushing over to the ref at full-time, causing a brawl. pic.twitter.com/wZ5mQa5f1M

— Total Football (@TotalFootball) October 30, 2026

Earlier Abandonment Against Ireland Under Investigation

The penalty incident follows an earlier controversy in Azerbaijan when England’s fixture against the Republic of Ireland was abandoned. VoetbalPrimeur.be reported that the match was halted after an English player alerted team staff to an alleged racist remark made by an opponent. Following the complaint, England head coach Matt Thorpe pulled his entire squad from the pitch while trailing 4-1.

DAZN broadcast footage captured an English assistant coach informing the referee, “Wij melden racisme, onze spelers willen niet spelen,” prompting the official to abandon the fixture, according to reporting cited by BBC Sport.

FIFA Reviewing Official Match Reports

Global governing body FIFA confirmed it is reviewing multiple disciplinary dossiers arising from the tournament. A FIFA spokesperson stated regarding the abandoned Ireland fixture that official reports are being gathered and the case has been forwarded to the independent disciplinary committee for review. Similarly, world football’s governing body is awaiting the official delegate report for the Bolivia fixture before determining whether further action is necessary.