The Prestiani-Vinicius rule in action. Paraguay national team player sent off for covering his mouth with his hand
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The 2026 World Cup group stage match between Paraguay and Turkey, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Paraguay, will forever be etched in football history thanks to an unprecedented refereeing decision. Paraguay managed to hold on to their lead after a lightning-fast goal from Matías Galarza in the 2nd minute, but the end of the first half was marred by a wild scandal involving South American star Miguel Almirón.
Details: The former Newcastle player, now plying his trade for MLS side Atlanta United, managed to earn a straight red card during first-half stoppage time, becoming the first footballer in history to violate the new strict rule introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
During a heated confrontation on the pitch, Almirón approached an opponent and, covering his mouth with his hand, muttered a few words. Referee Iván Barton from El Salvador, after a prompt from the video assistants, reviewed the incident on VAR and showed the Paraguayan a straight red without hesitation.
This rule was urgently introduced by IFAB ahead of the World Cup to eradicate racist and offensive remarks on the field that are difficult to prove. The catalyst for this reform was the high-profile Champions League scandal involving Vinícius Júnior and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestiani. Now, any deliberate attempt to cover one’s face with a hand while speaking to an opponent results in immediate dismissal.
Reminder: TV cameras captured the first words of Real Madrid and Turkey midfielder Arda Güler after his team’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup.
