Argentina might have lost the World Cup final to Spain, but the real pain is still coming for them from FIFA, who are absolutely not messing around. Disciplinary proceedings could hit Argentina hard after a wild brawl marred the end of that final, and FIFA is ready to investigate everything.
The Post-Match Brawl FIFA Won’t Forget
You saw the chaos, right? Leandro Paredes got himself sent off AFTER the final whistle, straight up clashing with Spain’s Eric Garcia and Gavi. And let’s not forget Nahuel Molina, who looked like he took a full swing at Spain’s captain Rodri! Like, seriously? That’s not how you end a World Cup final, even if you just lost. Paredes was right there, next to assistant coach Walter Samuel, when he was mixing it up. These weren’t subtle moves, and FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee is now diving deep into those post-match scenes to figure out what additional disciplinary action needs to be taken.
Beyond The Red Card: FIFA’s Hammer Is Waiting
Paredes and Enzo Fernandez, who already got himself booted during regulation for two bookable offenses, are *already* facing a one-match ban for their red cards. That’s for Argentina’s next competitive match. But FIFA’s Disciplinary Code? It’s clear as day: players sent off for violent conduct get suspended for “at least three matches.” We’re talking about misconduct relating to assault, like “elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting at or hitting an opponent.” That earns a suspension of “at least three matches or an appropriate period of time.”
Think about Luis Suarez back in 2014, with that infamous nine-match international ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini. Or France legend Zinedine Zidane, who got a three-match ban for his headbutt in the 2006 final, even though his retirement meant it was never enforced. While Paredes and Molina’s actions might not have been *that* severe, FIFA has serious scope to crank up the punishment. Plus, Molina wasn’t even carded on the pitch, so FIFA could totally cite him retrospectively and add to Argentina’s woes.
More Troubles From The Semi-Final?
And get this, it’s not just the final they’re looking at. FIFA’s also assessing Argentina’s semi-final win against England. Why? Because after that game, several Argentina players were seen waving a banner that screamed “Las Malvinas son Argentinas.” That translates to “The Falkland Islands are Argentinian.” FIFA stated after the semi-final that their independent Disciplinary Committee was “assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances.” The same exact process will apply to the final’s incidents. Plus, if FIFA finds a ton of misconduct, the *entire* Argentinian football federation could be looking at disciplinary action, for example, if five or more players receive individual disciplinary sanctions.
So yeah, Paredes and Fernandez are already out for their next competitive match. But with FIFA digging into everything from that brawl to the semi-final banner, Argentina could be missing some key players for a *lot* longer. The stakes are huge. How many games will these guys actually miss? What about the federation? It’s gonna be a long wait to see how hard the hammer falls on Argentina.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Leave a Reply