Heavy Punishment After Spain-Argentina World Cup Final Clash, Paredes and Molina Suspended

Argentina midfielders Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina have received major suspensions following the clash with Spain after the World Cup final. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has banned Paredes for 10 international matches and Molina for seven.

Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium. After the final whistle, several Argentina players and members of the coaching staff became involved in a confrontation with Spain’s players. FIFA appointed a Disciplinary and Ethics prosecutor last month to investigate the incidents that followed the final.

Paredes received the heaviest punishment for confronting Spain’s players after the final. The experienced Argentine midfielder has been suspended for 10 international matches, while defender Molina has been handed a seven-match ban. Both players must also pay a combined fine of £90,000.

The sanctions were not limited to the World Cup final. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has also been fined €321,000 for violating FIFA regulations during the tournament.

After Argentina’s 2-1 semifinal victory over England, several Argentina players stood with a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” meaning “The Falkland Islands are Argentine.”

Argentina’s Thiago Almada and Spain’s Gavi have each been suspended for one match in connection with the incidents. Argentina coach Roberto Ayala has received a three-match suspension. Almada, Gavi and Ayala have also been fined $30,000 each.

All of the player and coaching staff suspensions will apply only to international matches.

FIFA has also ordered Argentina to invest £100,000 in efforts to combat discrimination, while another £100,000 fine has been suspended.

Argentina have also been punished as a team for the incidents following the World Cup final. They will be allowed to have only 50 percent of the stadium capacity for their next two home international matches, although one of those sanctions has been suspended.

The punishments mean Paredes and Molina will miss a significant number of Argentina’s upcoming international fixtures, adding another major consequence to the dramatic scenes that followed the World Cup final.