Former Chelsea striker's brother axed by MLS club after ban for sexist comment to female ref: 'Don't forget this is a man's game'

The brother of former Chelsea and Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain has been axed by his club after making sexist comments about a female referee.

Federico Higuain, who played alongside his brother at Inter Miami, was manager of the reserve team at Major League Soccer (MLS) side Columbus Crew.

He now finds himself out of work, however, after spouting at the referee: 'Don't forget this is a man's game.'

The 41-year-old was holding the referee's hand at the time of the incident, which took place after his side had lost 1-0 against Huntsville City in the MLS Pro League.

He was sent off for his actions and handed a two-game ban by the MLS, but his club took action and dismissed him from his role.

'We determined it's in the best interest of our club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuain from his responsibilities,' Columbus Crew general manager Issa Tall said in the statement.

Federico Higuain (right), brother of Gonzalo (left), has been sacked for a sexist rant

The now-former Columbus Crew manager told a female referee 'it's a man's game' after a loss

'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.'

There were concerns over the length of the punishment handed out by the MLS, with the Professional Soccer Referees Association suggesting the league should have come down much harsher on Higuain.

'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,' they said. '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.'

As a player, Higuain featured for the likes of Besiktas and Independiente, before moving to Columbus Crew in 2012, where he played until 2019.

He would finish his career alongside his brother at Inter Miami, and went on to coach their reserve team before returning to Columbus in January 2025.