Christophe Galtier, the French head coach of Saudi Pro League club Neom, was sent off on Sunday after making an obscene gesture toward the Al-Fateh coaching staff during his team's match in the league's second round.
Tension had been building gradually and spreading to the touchline benches when Galtier made a middle-finger gesture toward the opposing coach as the first half drew to a close. The referee had no choice but to send him off the pitch.
Galtier previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, French club LOSC Lille and AS Saint-Etienne before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2025. At Lille he won the Ligue 1 title in 2021, and he later led Paris Saint-Germain to a domestic treble before taking charge of Neom.
A striking change in mood
The outburst stood in sharp contrast to the calm, cheerful demeanour Galtier has shown since arriving in Saudi Arabia. Just days earlier, he had been seen dancing in the dressing room in good spirits after Neom's 2-0 win over Al-Hilal.
The red card did not stop his players from performing on the pitch. Neom went on to win the match 4-2, with former Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette scoring twice.
The Saudi Pro League has drawn growing attention in recent seasons as clubs have signed high-profile players and coaches from Europe, turning matches involving sides such as Al-Hilal, Al-Fateh and Neom into closely watched fixtures. Galtier's dismissal added to that spotlight, circulating widely on social media after being shared by Saudi football accounts.
