Paredes banned 10 games as FIFA suspends 3 Argentina players for World Cup final scuffle

GENEVA (AP) – FIFA banned three Argentina players on Friday, including a 10-match suspension for midfielder Leandro Paredes, for striking Spain opponents after losing the World Cup final.

Key points

• The ban for Paredes is effectively a one-year expulsion from the Argentina team as the FIFA calendar for national team schedules includes 10 games through June 2027.
• Argentina defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game ban while Thiago Almada was given a one-game suspension.
• All of those games could be friendlies with no competitive games at present scheduled.

Notably, the ban for Paredes – who grabbed Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat and pushed Gavi to the ground – ranks with the FIFA sanctions for Uruguay forward Luis Suárez in 2014 as among the most severe in World Cup history.

Argentina defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game ban while Thiago Almada was given a one-game suspension. FIFA imposed fines of $90, 000 on Paredes and Molina, and $30, 000 for Almada.

In practice, the ban for Paredes is effectively a one-year expulsion from the Argentina team as the FIFA calendar for national team schedules includes 10 games through June 2027.

Taken together, the developments around paredes banned 10 games as FIFA suspends 3 Argentina players for World point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.