Almiron’s Uncertain World Cup of Paraguay, released for gagging | World Cup 2026 news

It is not known what Miguel Almiron of Paraguay said to Mert Muldur of Turkey under the cover of his hand, but it may have been his last in this World Cup.

On Friday, Almiron became the leader the first player to be sent off at the World Cup for breaching the new law that prohibits silence on the pitch, leaving Paraguay with 10 men to deal with half of Turkey’s attacks.

The The law prepared by FIFAapproved by the International Football Association Board in April, came after ⁠Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr under the cover of his shirt during a Champions League match that was stopped by the referee, based on UEFA’s anti-discrimination policy.

Prestianni, who denied the allegations, was banned by UEFA for six matches for alleged homophobia.

In a furious game filled with fierce exchanges, Almiron’s red card before halftime was overshadowed by Paraguay’s shock 1-0 victory in the San Francisco Bay Area, which kept the World Cup alive and blamed Turkiye for a poor early exit.

The former Newcastle United player’s suspension means he will miss Paraguay’s Group D final against Australia on June 22.

Almiron posted on Instagram his team celebrating their 1-0 win, but did not mention his dismissal.

“I want to thank my teammates for their efforts today, giving everything in every ball, thank you, thank you, thank you, I’m proud to be part of this team,” he wrote along with a photo of Paraguay’s cheering players crowding the finish line.

“I know Miggy personally, so I think it’s very common with Miggy,” said England defender Dan Burn, who played with Almiron at Newcastle. “I’ve seen him do that over the years in games, and I think it’s one of those things that … it’s going to take some time for other players to get used to it.

“The management talked about it in the meeting (of the World Cup), so everyone knows the rules, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it’s something difficult to break the habit.”

‘Slaves of the law book’

Paraguayan coach Gustavo Alfaro, who praised the fighting spirit of his players, said he accepted that the rules were used.

“The first thing I said to him when he entered the dressing room was, ‘Change that face, we won, don’t feel guilty about anything.

Alfaro has been trying to protect his players from the heavy opposition they endured after their 4-1 opener against fellow United States, who are now group winners.

“He had a lot of pain because he felt that, for the player he met, those things could not happen,” Almiron said.

“But it happened, that’s it. We’re here to help him, pick him up, push him.”

The new system has some exceptions, such as allowing players to keep their mouths shut while chatting with their teammates in opposing teams.

The rule was among several announced before the show, including a five-minute count for throw-ins and goal kicks, a time limit for substitute players to leave the field, and players sitting on the sidelines for one minute after receiving on-field medical treatment.

Alfaro said that some of the new rules could hurt the game, and Almiron’s yellow card would have been enough.

“The fear I have is that football loses its meaning,” he added. “Let’s not be slaves to the rule book.”