Argentine football player Leandro Paredes has been slapped with a 10-match suspension for being involved in a brawl after his team lost to Spain in the World Cup final received a 10-match suspension for his part in a bra…

Argentine football player Leandro Paredes has been slapped with a 10-match suspension for being involved in a brawl after his team lost to Spain in the World Cup final received a 10-match suspension for his part in a brawl after his team lost to Spain in the World Cup final last month. His teammate Nahuel Molina has also been suspended for seven games, FIFA announced on Friday.A scuffle erupted following the final whistle when Argentina midfielder Paredes pushed Spain’s Gavi to the ground as the European champions’ substitutes rushed onto the field to celebrate.Paredes was charged on three assault counts, while Molina faced two. Both players were also fined $90,000 each.FIFA World Cup 2026 | FIFA launches investigation after Argentina-Spain final ends in brawlMeanwhile, Argentina’s Thiago Almada and Spain’s Gavi faced one count each of unsporting behaviour, while Argentina’s assistant coach Roberto Ayala faced one assault count.Almanda and Gave have also been handed one-match suspensions, while Ayala, who had apologised for his part in the altercation, was banned for three games, with all three fined $30,000.The Argentinian Football Association (AFA) were fined a total of $321,000 for multiple disciplinary breaches during the World Cup, including the display by some players of a banner declaring “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”) after their semi-final win against England. The Association was also directed to play Argentina’s next two home matches with spectators limited to 50 per cent of capacity.FIFA said using sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature was a breach of the disciplinary code.The fines were levied for breaches of the disciplinary code including use of a sports event for non-sporting demonstrations, team misconduct, and discriminatory chants and gestures by fans.”The FIFA Disciplinary Committee further determined that $100,000 of the $321,000 must be invested in a plan to combat discrimination,” it said.”The implementation of part of the sanction (one of the two matches and $100,000 of the fine) is suspended, with a probationary period to apply.”The decisions remain subject to appeal. (With Reuters inputs)

Source: Deccan Herald