FIFA has handed Argentina international stars Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina suspensions totaling 17 matches following a major post-match brawl at the World Cup final against Spain in North America.
Midfielder Paredes received a 10-match ban and a 65,000 pound fine for his actions at full time, while defender Molina was hit with a seven-game sanction by world football's governing body.
The disciplinary committee also imposed one-match bans on Argentina midfielder Thiago Almada and Spain midfielder Gavi for their roles in the unsporting scenes. The sanctions follow a comprehensive investigation into the violent physical altercations that broke out after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in last month's showpiece final.
Footage from the stadium showed 32-year-old Paredes grabbing Spain defender Eric Garcia by the neck before punching Gavi in the face and pushing him to the ground. In a separate clash during the full-time chaos, Molina struck Spain captain Rodri in the torso as he ran past, prompting the Manchester City midfielder to turn and square up to his opponent.
Despite the financial penalties, the fines will do little to dent Argentina's tournament earnings. The team received 25 million pounds in prize money as runners-up in the tournament, which was held jointly across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Sanctions over controversial Falklands banner
While FIFA issued heavy suspensions for the post-match fighting, the tournament runners-up escaped major sporting punishment over a controversial political banner displayed following their 2-1 semi-final win against England. FIFA ordered a two-match partial stadium closure for Argentina's next two home fixtures, capping crowd capacity at 50 per cent, though one match of that penalty has been suspended.
The Argentine Football Association was also hit with 235,000 pounds in total fines over the incident, with 73,000 pounds of that sum suspended. FIFA rules strictly prohibit political slogans and flags during official international matches.
The sign, which read 'The Falkland Islands are Argentine' in Spanish, was initially displayed by supporters in the crowd before being handed down to the players on the pitch. Now-departed Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero, Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez, and former Spurs midfielder Giovani Lo Celso celebrated with the sign after the final whistle. Captain and star player Lionel Messi was also seen dancing alongside the controversial banner.
The incident drew comparison to a similar demonstration 12 years ago, when Argentina players carried an identical banner prior to an international friendly match in 2014 and received a fine of just 20,000 pounds. Critics had called for FIFA to enforce far tougher sanctions against the team for repeating the violation on football's biggest stage.
Political outcry in Great Britain
The post-match display provoked strong political reactions in the United Kingdom. UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle said at the time that it was "entirely inappropriate" to wave the banner, praising England for acting with dignity in "real contrast with what we saw with the Argentina team."
Tory shadow minister Andrew Griffith also voiced sharp criticism over the display, connecting it to wider diplomatic decisions and demanding strict enforcement of regulations.
Griffith said: "Labour's Chagos surrender has made us look weak, and British territory up for grabs. The Falklands are British. Whoever won the football. This idiotic display from the Argies was clearly against FIFA rules. They should be punished."
History of the South Atlantic territorial dispute
The controversy stems from the long-standing sovereignty dispute between Britain and Argentina over the South Atlantic territory. In 1982, the two nations fought the 74-day Falklands War after Argentine military forces invaded the islands. A total of 255 British servicemen were among 907 people who died during the conflict, which concluded when UK armed forces retook the territory.
British forces first landed on the uninhabited islands in 1690 and formally claimed them for the Crown in 1765. Britain has maintained a continuous permanent presence on the islands since 1833. That presence was established 47 years before Argentina became a fully unified state in 1880, following its declaration of independence from Spain in 1816.
The civilian population of the archipelago has overwhelmingly expressed a desire to remain British. In the last official referendum held on the islands in 2013, 99.8 per cent of voters chose to retain their status as a British Overseas Territory.
