Paraguay's Almiron Becomes First Player Sent Off for 'Mouth-Covering' Gesture

The first instance of a player being sent off for a "mouth-covering gesture" has occurred at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Paraguayan midfielder Miguel Almiron was issued a straight red card during the Group D second-match against Turkey, held at the Bay Area Stadium in San Francisco, California, on June 20 (KST), after he covered his mouth while speaking to an opposing player.

Late in the first half, with Paraguay leading 1-0, a physical altercation broke out between players from both teams after Paraguayan forward Isidro Pitta attempted a rough tackle and then appealed to the referee, claiming his own foot had been stepped on by an opponent.

During the confrontation, Almiron spoke to a Turkish player while covering his mouth. The referee reviewed the incident via VAR (Video Assistant Referee) and subsequently issued a red card to Almiron.

Following an incident last February during a UEFA Champions League match—where Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni received a suspension from UEFA for making a racist remark while covering his mouth toward Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior—FIFA introduced a new rule for this tournament that mandates the expulsion of any player who covers their mouth while confronting an opponent.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.