Culture & Entertainment · Singapore Bureau
Paredes handed 10-game ban for World Cup final altercation
FIFA has suspended Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes for 10 matches following a post-match incident after his team's World Cup final defeat to Spain. Teammate Nahuel Molina received a seven-game suspension for his involvement in the fracas.
LSN Singapore ·
The international football governing body announced the disciplinary action on Friday, targeting the pair for their roles in the confrontation that erupted following Argentina's loss in the championship decider. The suspensions will apply to the South American nation's upcoming international fixtures.
Paredes, who plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain, received the lengthier ban as the primary instigator of the incident. Molina's seven-match suspension reflected his secondary involvement in the altercation that marred the conclusion of one of the tournament's most significant matches.
In addition to the player sanctions, FIFA imposed a financial penalty on the Argentine Football Association for the conduct of its representatives during the match. The fines and suspensions underscore the governing body's zero-tolerance stance toward disciplinary breaches in high-profile competitions.
Argentina's squad will be without both players for their next several World Cup qualifiers and other international commitments as the South American team looks to move forward from the tournament.