FIFA has banned three Argentina players, including a 10-match suspension for midfielder Leandro Paredes, over a brawl that broke out immediately after Spain beat Argentina in the World Cup final last month, in some of the harshest sanctions handed down in the tournament’s history.
What Happened at the Final Whistle
The clashes erupted at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey moments after Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina on July 19, a result that gave Spain its second World Cup title. Paredes grabbed Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat and pushed Gavi to the ground as Spanish substitutes rushed onto the pitch to celebrate, video of the incident showed. FIFA charged the clashes as assault cases following an investigation by its disciplinary and ethics prosecutor.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee handed Paredes a 10-match international ban and a $90,000 fine on Friday. Because FIFA’s calendar includes 10 national team fixtures through June 2027, the suspension effectively rules the Boca Juniors midfielder out of the Argentina squad for roughly a year, though all of the affected matches are currently friendlies rather than competitive fixtures.
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Other Players Sanctioned
Argentina defender Nahuel Molina received a seven-match ban and a $90,000 fine, while midfielder Thiago Almada was suspended for one match and fined $30,000. Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala was also banned for three matches and fined $30,000. On the Spanish side, Gavi was banned for one match over what FIFA described as unsporting behaviour after he charged at Paredes before being thrown to the ground; the suspension will cost him Spain’s Nations League match against England on September 26.
Analysts have compared the severity of Paredes’ ban to the sanctions FIFA imposed on Uruguay’s Luis Suarez after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup, and to the 10-match ban given to Croatia’s Josip Simunic in 2013 for leading fans in chants tied to the country’s pro-Nazi wartime regime.
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Team and Federation Penalties
FIFA also ordered Argentina to play its next home match behind closed doors, though it suspended a second stadium sanction and a $100,000 fine on probationary terms. The Argentine Football Association was separately fined $110,000 for a range of incidents during the tournament, including players displaying a political banner referencing the Falkland Islands after the semi-final win over England, and discriminatory chants by supporters. The federation was also ordered to spend $100,000 on anti-racism projects.
The final itself had been a tense affair even before the post-match scuffle. Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off during the match, and Spain forward Ferran Torres scored the only goal deep into extra time, capping a contest in which Argentina created little in the way of scoring chances.
What Happens Next
The Argentine federation can appeal the sanctions to FIFA and, if unsuccessful, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Argentina received $34 million in World Cup prize money from FIFA despite the fines, and no competitive fixtures are currently scheduled that would test how the extended bans affect team selection.
