Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron made history by becoming the first player to receive a red card at the World Cup for covering his mouth, after a late first-half incident during the match against Turkey on Friday night.
The situation unfolded during stoppage time in the first half, when Almiron and Mart Mulder exchanged remarks following a foul near midfield.
Almiron, while speaking to Mulder, covered his mouth, prompting Mulder to immediately appeal to referee Ivan Barton for action.
Following a video review, Barton determined that Almiron warranted a red card based on new regulations implemented for this World Cup.
Coach Gustavo Alfaro commented on the ruling, stating, “According to the law, if you cover your mouth, you’re sent off. It’s a red card. There’s nothing I can do about that. Unfortunately, I can’t offer any new opinions on this.”
At that point, Paraguay was leading 1-0 and managed to hold on for the win even with one player down in the second half.
After the game, Alfaro attempted to uplift Almiron, highlighting that his absence had ignited the team’s “fighting spirit.”
“He apologized to the players for his mistake,” Alfaro said. “He understood the situation where he left his teammates behind by his actions… It happened, and it happened.”.
This incident is part of a broader effort led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to enforce stricter rules, following an incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestiani trying to mask his actions during a Champions League match against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.
Alfaro acknowledged the team’s awareness of this new rule but expressed concern over its strictness. “I’m worried that if we’re too strict, we’ll lose the essence of football,” he noted, emphasizing football’s inherent conflicts.
As a result of the red card, Almiron will miss Paraguay’s crucial final group stage match against Australia, where qualification for the next round is on the line. FIFA might consider extending his suspension, potentially barring him from future knockout matches.
“I hope he misses as few games as possible as a penalty,” Alfaro remarked. “He is very sorry and it has affected him greatly.”
This marks the second time Almiron has been involved in card-related incidents in this World Cup, following a yellow card he received in the opening match against the USA, which was later overturned to a diving penalty after a video review.
