Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almirón became the first player at this World Cup to receive a red card for covering his mouth with his hand. He was sent off late in the first half of the Group D match against Turkey.
The incident occurred during added time before halftime when Almirón and Turkey’s Mert Müldür exchanged words following a foul in the middle of the pitch. Almirón covered his mouth while speaking to Müldür, who immediately appealed to referee Ivan Barton for disciplinary action.
After consulting the video assistant referee, Barton swiftly decided to issue a straight red card to Almirón, enforcing a new rule introduced at this year’s tournament.
This regulation was implemented following an incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestiani, who attempted to conceal verbal abuse directed at Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match.
Related Stories
