Federico Higuaín is gone, but soccer still has a sexism problem

Higuaín received a red card and a two-match suspension by the league, along with what has been described as "restorative practices" training. He then returned to the sideline and coached three more games after this specific incident.

The Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) publicly objected to the discipline. The union argued that U.S. Soccer policy calls for a minimum three-game suspension for a “forceful grab” and also cited minimum penalties for discriminatory conduct. In the PSRA's view, the two-match punishment fell well short of what the incident warranted.

The union described the league's response as falling “drastically short” and characterized the conduct as two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism.

In a social media post, the PSRA stated, “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.” 

The union went public on a Sunday, and the club parted ways with Higuaín that Tuesday. The Crew's decision was the right one, but it came far too late. The PSRA deserves credit for advocating on the official's behalf. Its public statement helped force renewed scrutiny of the incident, raising an uncomfortable question: Without that pressure, would the Crew have ultimately acted?

The conduct would have been unacceptable regardless of the referee's gender. Still, it is fair to ask whether he would have behaved the same way toward a male official.

Unfortunately, this is not a new situation for women in football. In my own experience, I have been criticized on various social media platforms more times than I can count when simply having an opinion about football. My personal favorite occurred in the comments of a Nottingham Forest post-match analysis podcast: “The Canadian bird should get back in the kitchen.” (Note: I’m American-British.) I have been told to send nudes to X users after posting football-related content. Or another good one, “Fck off, fcking bint of a little girl,” because I posted that the Club World Cup doesn’t actually determine the best club in the world. I’ve been called a diversity hire, been told I am only where I am under the “fallacy of gender inequality,” and so, so much more.

Coverage of the incident has predictably drawn misogynistic responses online. One comment argued that “women want equality and equal opportunity but then want special treatment.” Expecting not to be physically abused is not special treatment, and neither is expecting basic respect for doing the position you earned. Setting aside whether the punishment was sufficient, the remark itself shows this was not simply roughness in the heat of the moment. He was making a point.

But all those comments came from behind a keyboard. The fact that this incident occurred involving someone who's played professionally in the U.S. and within a system that has invested a lot in the women’s game, and has the most decorated women's national team in the world, is discouraging. Holding our standard higher and demanding a better level of respect is the bare minimum choice we have. Football belongs to everyone. A sport being male-dominated, for now, does not mean men own it.

That MLS is a men's league does not make football “a man's game.” Football belongs to everyone, and it is difficult to understand why that remains a point of debate. According to ESPN in 2023, women hold roughly 40 percent of MLS league office positions. That is not a majority, but it is a substantial share, reflecting the value women bring through different perspectives and approaches. Men work in the women's game for similar reasons. Everyone has something distinct to contribute.

Higuaín, 41, was a star forward for the Crew from 2012 to 2019 and had coached Crew 2 since January 2025. Crew 2 is a developmental MLS NEXT PRO team, and many of its players are young and still forming their understanding of the game. A coach who responds to conflict with physical intimidation is not suited to guide anyone. No one, at any age, should learn that behavior from the people leading them.