Leandro Paredes banned for 10 games after World Cup final fracas, Argentina fined

Argentine Football Association says its legal department would request the grounds for the rulings from Fifa before filing an appeal

Argentina’s Leandro Paredes ⁠received a 10-match suspension ⁠for his part in a brawl ⁠after his team lost to Spain in the World Cup final while teammate Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven games, Fifa announced on Friday.

A brief scuffle erupted at the final whistle when Argentina midfielder Paredes shoved Spain’s Gavi to the ground ‌as the European champions’ substitutes rushed onto the pitch to celebrate.

Paredes faced three assault counts while Molina faced two. Both players were also fined US$90,000 each.

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.

While Almada and Gavi received one-match suspensions, Ayala, who had apologised for his part ⁠in the altercation, was banned for three games, with all three fined US$30,000.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) was fined ‌a total of US$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”) following their semi-final win over England.