FIFA has officially opened an investigation into the violent behavior that occurred following Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup final.
Video clips captured several players from both teams clashing after the final whistle, with Argentina’s Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina being the two names involved in the most serious incidents.
Paredes alongside Thiago Almada tackled Spanish midfielder Gavi to the ground. Earlier, in a separate situation, Paredes was also recorded grabbing center-back Eric Garcia by the neck.
Meanwhile, Nahuel Molina was allegedly reported to have thrown a punch toward Rodri as the Spanish midfielder ran past to join the championship celebration. In addition, center-back Nicolas Otamendi was also said to have lost his temper and shouted at Rodri due to pre-match comments made by Spain’s Aymeric Laporte.
Furthermore, reports also surfaced claiming that Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala engaged in harsh actions targeting midfielder Dani Olmo. Right during the match, Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. Meanwhile, Leandro Paredes was initially recorded as receiving a red card after the match concluded.
However, FIFA later confirmed that Paredes was in fact not shown a red card by referee Slavko Vincic and erased this penalty from the official record. Even so, the Argentine midfielder still faces the risk of receiving a harsher punishment as world football’s governing body decided to launch an investigation into the chaos that occurred at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
In an official announcement, FIFA stated: “Following a review of the relevant reports concerning the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, and pursuant to Article 36 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Prosecutor to investigate conduct indicating potential violations of the FIFA Disciplinary Code related to post-match incidents.”
“Detailed information will be published by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee once the investigation report is completed.”
What penalties could Argentina face? According to Article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, players and coaching staff members could face various forms of sanctions if found in violation of the regulations.
If concluded to have engaged in violent conduct, players will receive a minimum three-match suspension. A similar penalty also applies to acts such as elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting at, or assaulting an opponent or any individual other than a match official.
The match ban will apply to the next official matches of the violating team itself, in this case, Argentina. In addition, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) could also face sanctions if FIFA determines that the team engaged in improper conduct.
Besides suspensions, the involved players and officials also risk receiving fines. FIFA also reserves the right to apply additional disciplinary measures if deemed necessary. Currently, FIFA is also considering the possibility of handing down penalties related to Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England in the World Cup semifinal.
