Published June 20, 2026
It’s unclear what Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron said behind his hand to Turkje’s Mert Mrdur, but it may have been his final gesture at this World Cup.
On Friday, Almiron became the first player to be sent off at the World Cup for violating strict new rules banning covering his mouth during on-field confrontations, leaving Paraguay to fend off half of Turkey’s relentless attack with 10 men.
The FIFA-proposed law, approved by the International Football Association Board in April, comes after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestiani was accused of making a discriminatory slur against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior under his shirt during a Champions League match, causing the referee to stop the match and triggering UEFA’s anti-discrimination code.
Prestiani denied the accusations, but was suspended for six games by UEFA for discriminatory behavior deemed homophobic.
In a sullen game with fierce exchanges, Almiron’s red card before halftime was overshadowed by Paraguay’s stunning 1-0 victory in the San Francisco Bay Area, continuing their poor run in the World Cup, and Torquier was sentenced to a heartbreaking early exit.
The former Newcastle United player’s dismissal means he will miss Paraguay’s decisive Group D final match against Australia on June 22.
Almiron posted a post on Instagram celebrating his team’s 1-0 win, but did not mention his dismissal.
“I would like to thank my teammates for their efforts today. We gave our all to every single pitch. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m proud to be a member of this team,” he posted, along with an image of jubilant Paraguayan players folding on top of each other as the final whistle rang.
“I think Miggy is more used to it because I know him personally,” said England defender Dan Byrne, who played with Almiron at Newcastle. “I’ve seen him do it in games many times over the years, and I think it’s one of those things that takes a little bit of time for some players to get used to it.
“The referees talked about it in the referees’ meeting[before the World Cup]so everyone knew the rules so it wasn’t a big surprise, but obviously it’s something that’s very difficult to break out of.”
“Slave of the rulebook”
Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his players’ fighting spirit and said he accepted the rules had been applied.
“The first thing I said to him when he came into the dressing room was, “Change your face, we won, don’t feel guilty about anything.” He said, “This incident has brought out even more fighting spirit in my teammates.”
Alfaro has been tasked with protecting his players from the harsh criticism they received after the opening game, a 4-1 victory over co-hosts the United States, who won the group.
“He was in a lot of pain because as a player with his experience, he felt like that couldn’t happen,” he said of Almiron.
“But it happened. That’s it. We’re here to support him, carry him and push him.”
However, there are exceptions to this new measure, such as allowing players to cover their mouths when having friendly conversations with teammates from opposing teams.
The rule is one of several introduced ahead of the high-profile event, including a five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks, a time limit for substitutes to leave the field and a one-minute sideline wait for players receiving on-field treatment.
Alfaro said some of the new rules could have a negative impact on the match and that a yellow card was enough for Almiron.
“My concern is that football will lose its essence,” he added. “Don’t be a slave to the rulebook.”
