Premier League legend is first participant despatched off for overlaying mouth in new World Cup guidelines
A former Premier League star has made World Cup history after becoming the first player to receive a red card for covering his mouth during a confrontation
Miguel Almiron was sent off for covering his mouth when speaking to an opponent at the World Cup
A Premier League legend has made history by becoming the first player to receive a red card for covering their mouth at a World Cup.
Miguel Almiron will always hold a special place in the hearts of Newcastle fans – and Fantasy Premier League managers – for his unexpected scoring run in the 2022/23 season, when he bagged 11 times in the top flight. But he now will also forever be associated with an unwanted record.
The Paraguay star said something to Turkey opponent Mert Muldur when he used his hands to hide what he was saying. The act of covering your mouth was deemed a red card offence after it was ratified at a special meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in late April. FIFA chose to implement the amendment at this summer’s tournament in an effort to curb any discriminatory or inappropriate behaviour.
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The dismissal came after a VAR review determined Almiron had covered his mouth while confronting Muldur. It occurred in the second minute of added time, triggering a brief scuffle between the players.
Tensions were already running high and escalated again when the whistle blew for half-time, with players and staff clashing on the pitch before retreating to their dressing rooms. Almiron is now expected to be suspended for Paraguay’s final group game against Australia next Friday.
Almiron and Paraguay will have little grounds for complaint, as the rules explicitly state that any action of a player covering their mouth would lead to a red card, reports the Mirror. But it wasn’t all bad for Paraguay, as they ran out 1-0 winners thanks to Matias Galarza’s goal in the second minute.
IFAB characterise the new offence as ‘players covering their mouths in situations of confrontation with opponents’. They declare that: “At the discretion of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card.”
Gianluca Prestianni triggered the change after allegedly racially abusing Vinicius Junior while lifting up his shirt. He denied racially abusing the Brazil international, but was penalised for homophobic conduct.
UEFA ultimately found the Benfica player guilty and handed him a six-match ban. Three of those were suspended, and the winger was also provisionally suspended for one game.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino told Sky News in March: “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously.”
Following its implementation, he posted on Instagram: “At a Special Meeting of The International Football Association Board (IFAB) in Vancouver, some key decisions were taken to protect the integrity of our game and ensure mutual respect continues to govern football at all levels.
“We unanimously agreed that at the discretion of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card.”
Infantino added: “I thank all stakeholders for your time, valuable inputs and alignment on these important matters which have been managed in a consultation process led by FIFA.
“These amendments will be implemented at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 and all other competition organisers will be able to decide whether to implement the changes before they enter into force on 1 July 2026.”
