The 0-1 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final not only caused Argentina to miss the opportunity to defend the championship, but also left many controversies about the playing style and behavior of the players.
After the match at MetLife Stadium, former FIFA referee Keith Hackett criticized midfielder Leandro Paredes, and proposed that FIFA apply a suspension of up to 10 matches to this player.
In the final, Argentina received 6 yellow cards and 1 red card, and committed a total of 25 fouls. Paredes is one of the players who attracted attention when he continuously made fierce tackles, argued with the referee and collided with Spanish players. After the final whistle, the Boca Juniors midfielder also participated in a scuffle between players of the two teams.
Mr. Hackett - former Chairman of PGMOL (England Professional Refereeing Authority) said that FIFA needs to take strict measures.
I completely agree that Paredes must be suspended. In my opinion, the minimum penalty should be 10 matches. This is the biggest stage of world football and what happened is unacceptable," Mr. Hackett said.
The former FIFA referee also expressed disappointment with the professional quality of the final match, saying that the confrontation was affected by too many fouls and tense situations between players of the two teams.
This is not the first time Paredes has been involved in controversy in the World Cup arena. In the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup against the Netherlands, this midfielder once reacted when he shot the ball towards the opponent's bench area and had many provocative actions after the penalty shootout.
According to Mr. Hackett, FIFA needs to send a strong message to protect the image and fair-play spirit of football.
In World Cup history, FIFA has applied additional penalties for serious acts. Typically, Luis Suarez was banned from playing 9 international matches and banned from participating in all football activities for 4 months after biting Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup. Previously, Mauro Tassotti was suspended for 8 matches after elbowing Luis Enrique at the 1994 World Cup, while Jose Batista received a 3-match ban after a red card at the 1986 World Cup.
Up to now, FIFA has not issued an official announcement about the possibility of opening additional disciplinary procedures for Leandro Paredes after the 2026 World Cup final.
