23 Sept 2026 12:00 BST |
2 min read
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MLS club Columbus Crew have sacked reserve team coach Federico Higuain after he was involved in a sexist incident with a match official.
Higuain, the brother of former Real Madrid, Juventus and Napoli forward Gonzalo, had been sent off in an MLS Next Level Pro match, allegedly for grabbing the hand of a female referee and telling her: “Don’t forget, this is a man’s game”.
The Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) described the incidents as “two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism”.
Higuain was handed a two-match ban for the incident in a move that the PSRA said “falls drastically short” of the type of punishment the Argentine deserved.
However, Columbus Crew moved to sack their former player.
Columbus Crew’s general manager, Issa Tall, said in a statement: “We determined it’s in the best interest of our club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuain from his responsibilities. After conversations this week and further assessing the past month, our club’s standards of what’s expected from a leader for one of our teams have not been met.”
What did Higuain do?
The PSRA said: “A male head coach committed two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism against a female official – squeezing her hand and refusing to let go after being told to stop three times. This physical intimidation was compounded by a demeaning, sexist remark to the official: ‘Don’t forget, this is a man’s game.’
“Women make every level of this game better. They should not have to endure intimidation or degrading comments to prove it. Our female officials have proven their excellence on the world stage. They deserve the same respect, dignity, and safe working environment as every other official.”
Federico Higuain’s career
Higuain was previously Inter Miami II head coach before moving to Columbus in January 2025. He led the Capybaras in 55 games, including 23 victories.
During his playing days, he turned out for the likes of River Plate and Bestiktas but never attained the heights and fame of his brother. He played the bulk of his career at Columbus Crew, making more than 200 appearances for the club while scoring 59 goals, but he ended his playing days at Inter Miami, finishing his time with the club alongside his more celebrated sibling Gonzalo.
