The NFL’s 2025 International Series in Madrid delivered its first viral moment even before the first touchdown — thanks to referee Shawn Smith, who apparently decided this was the perfect time to show off his Duolingo streak.
During the first quarter of the Miami Dolphins–Washington Commanders matchup, the stadium suddenly heard the most unexpected announcement: a penalty call in full Spanish.
Fans at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium exploded in laughter and cheers. For a moment it felt less like American football and more like a live language-learning lesson.
And of course, the broadcast wasted no time highlighting it:
Ref making a call in Spanish for the first ever NFL game in Spain 🇪🇸
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 16, 2025
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/2Il6qLsbS6
Imagine thousands of fans hearing a ref go: “Hola, penalty on the play!”
NFL viewers everywhere collectively said: “Okay, this might be the best part of the game so far.”
The game is being played at the iconic home of Real Madrid, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, but the scoreboard hasn’t exactly kept up with the energy. At halftime, it’s 6–6 — no touchdowns, no fireworks, just field goals and vibes.
Fan reactions online were priceless:
— “Ref speaking Spanish > both offenses combined.”
— “Dolphins and Commanders so boring the ref had to entertain us.”
— “Next time we want the whole game in Spanish commentary.”
Honestly, Shawn Smith might be the MVP of the first half, because neither offense seems interested in doing anything exciting. It’s almost like the teams are competing over who won’t score a touchdown.
Still, the moment made history — the first-ever Spanish penalty announcement in an NFL game played in Spain. And Madrid fans absolutely loved it.
If the International Series is going to continue, fans now officially expect refs to switch languages depending on the host country. German, French, Japanese… the multilingual penalty era has arrived.
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😂