Paraguay forward Miguel Almiron made World Cup history on Friday after becoming the first player to be sent off under FIFA’s new mouth-covering regulation.
The former Newcastle United FC star was shown a red card during Paraguay’s Group D clash with Turkiye in Santa Clara after appearing to cover his mouth while directing comments towards defender Mert Muldur.
The incident occurred in first-half stoppage time with Paraguay leading 1-0. Following a VAR review, the referee dismissed Almiron, leaving his side to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
FIFA introduced the rule in April as part of a wider campaign to combat racism and discriminatory behaviour on the pitch. Under the new regulations, players who cover their mouths during confrontations with opponents can face an immediate red card.
The governing body believes the measure will help improve transparency during heated exchanges and make it easier to identify offensive or discriminatory language.
The rule was introduced following controversy involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match earlier this year. Although Prestianni denied racially abusing the Brazilian star, he later received a six-match suspension, with half of the ban suspended, for homophobic conduct.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has strongly backed the new regulation.
“If you do not have something to hide, you don’t hide your mouth when you say something. That’s it, as simple as that,” Infantino said when explaining the reasoning behind the rule.
Almiron’s dismissal now stands as the first high-profile example of the regulation being enforced on football’s biggest stage.
