📸 Never seen before: Ref shows Bayern opponent the ‘God card’
Bayern’s opponents in the Club World Cup got into a heated fight on Tuesday night. The referee pulled out the red card three times in the 2-2 match between Boca Juniors and Benfica.
So far, so heated. But with the last red card, there was an unusual scene. As he showed the red card to Boca Juniors player Jorge Figal in the 88th minute, referee César Arturo Ramos also pulled out a picture from his pocket.
The picture showed the Virgin of Guadalupe, as several media outlets reported afterwards. The TV footage also showed that the referee had obviously pulled out the card unintentionally, as he quickly put it back in his pocket when he noticed it.
The Virgin of Guadalupe is an apparition of the Virgin Mary, considered the patron saint of Mexico and a powerful national symbol of Mexican identity and Catholic faith.
The scene went viral on the net, and some users noted: “Figal was blessed and still sent off”.
Of course, that’s one way to look at it.
📸 Megan Briggs – 2025 Getty Images