FIFA took disciplinary action against three players from the Argentina national team on Friday, following an incident after the World Cup final against Spain. Midfielder Leandro Paredes received a significant 10-match suspension for his actions, which involved grabbing Spain’s Eric Garcia and pushing Gavi to the ground. This ban is one of the most severe in World Cup history, comparable to the punishment handed to Uruguay’s Luis Suarez in 2014.
Additionally, defender Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven matches, while Thiago Almada received a one-game ban. FIFA also levied fines of $90,000 on Paredes and Molina, and $30,000 on Almada. Paredes’ suspension effectively sidelines him from the Argentina team for a year, as the FIFA national team calendar includes 10 games until June 2027, all of which could be friendly matches.
Spain’s Gavi was also banned for one game, specifically missing a Nations League fixture against England on September 26 at Wembley. Argentina coach Roberto Ayala faced a three-game ban and a $30,000 fine. The Argentine Football Association was fined $110,000 for various incidents during the tournament, including players displaying a political banner about the Falkland Islands and discriminatory chants by fans. FIFA mandated that the AFA invest $100,000 in anti-racism initiatives. Argentina received $34 million in prize money from the World Cup.
The AFA has the option to appeal the sanctions and fines to FIFA and potentially to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In a statement, the federation stated that they would seek clarification from FIFA on the rulings to pursue appeals.
Comparisons were drawn to previous cases, such as Luis Suarez’s ban in 2014 for biting an opponent and Josip Simunic’s suspension in 2013 for using a controversial slogan. The altercations during the World Cup final in New Jersey were labeled as assault cases by FIFA, following Argentina’s defeat to Spain. The disciplinary measures also included Argentina being directed to play their next home game at a stadium operating at 50% capacity, with the possibility of further sanctions and probationary fines in the future.
