Leandro Paredes Receives 10-Match Ban After World Cup Final Incident

Leandro Paredes has been hit with a 10‑match ban for his role in the ugly scenes that followed Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain, with teammate Nahuel Molina suspended for seven games, Fifa confirmed on Friday.

The flashpoint came at the final whistle. As Spain’s substitutes sprinted onto the pitch to celebrate their title, Paredes shoved Gavi to the ground, sparking a brief but chaotic scuffle between players and staff from both sides.

Fifa charged the Argentina midfielder with three counts of assault and Molina with two. Each player was also fined US$90,000.

The disciplinary net spread wider. Argentina’s Thiago Almada and Spain’s Gavi were both cited for unsporting behaviour, while Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala was charged with one count of assault.

Almada and Gavi received one‑match suspensions. Ayala, who had apologised for his role in the altercation, was handed a three‑game ban. All three were fined US$30,000.

The sanctions did not stop at individuals. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) was fined a total of US$321,000 for multiple disciplinary breaches during the tournament, including players displaying a banner reading “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”) after their semi-final win over England.

The rulings leave Argentina facing a long stretch without key figures and a governing body under financial and disciplinary scrutiny as the next international window looms.