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Rabat – FIFA has announced today a one-match suspension for Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almirón following his historic expulsion during his country’s last World Cup fixture.
The disciplinary decision, which FIFA confirmed is final and not subject to appeal, rules the playmaker out of Paraguay’s crucial final group-stage match against Australia on Thursday.
The unwanted piece in football history
The suspension comes after an argument late in the first half of Friday’s match, where Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0. Almirón got into a heated fight with Turkish player Mert Müldür and was caught on camera covering his mouth while talking.
Following a quick Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, referee Ivan Barton issued a straight red card. With that dismissal, the 32-year-old international officially became the first player in football history to be sent off under strict new regulations designed to eliminate hidden verbal abuse on the pitch.
Behind the new legislation
The new legislation, fast-tracked by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) last April, was introduced specifically to combat discriminatory language, racism, and severe verbal misconduct that players attempt to hide from cameras, lip-readers, and match officials.
The rule gives competition organizers the power to mandate a straight red card if a player obscures their mouth with a hand, arm, or jersey during an active, on-field confrontation.
The regulatory shift was heavily prompted by a controversial UEFA Champions League incident earlier this season, where Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused of concealing verbal abuse toward Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior.
Explaining the zero-tolerance philosophy behind the mandate, FIFA President Gianni Infantino sent a clear message regarding player accountability:
“If you have nothing to hide, you don’t cover your mouth when you talk to someone. The rules have been made clear to everyone, and everyone knows them, so this is an important element.”
What for Paraguay?
While Almirón’s teammates successfully defended their narrow 1-0 lead with ten men against Turkey to keep their tournament hopes alive, his absence leaves a massive creative void for Thursday’s must-win encounter.
Paraguay enters the final matchday needing a decisive result against Australia to secure their ticket to the knockout rounds, and they will have to achieve it without their star midfielder.
