Almiron becomes the first player to be sent off under the World Cup’s new mouth-covering rule
Miguel Almiron made World Cup history on Tuesday after becoming the first player to be sent off under football’s newly introduced rule that prohibits players from covering their mouths while talking to opponents.
The Paraguayan winger was shown a straight red card during his country’s group game against Turkey in San Francisco after an incident involving defender Mert Muldur.
VAR intervenes after the incident with the Turkish defender
The controversial moment happened just before half-time when Paraguay were leading 1-0. Almiron was seen covering his mouth with his hand as he spoke to Muldur, who immediately alerted the referee.
After a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), referee Ivan Barton of El Salvador announced the decision to send off the former Newcastle United player, marking the first application of the law at a FIFA World Cup.
Despite playing the entire second half with 10 men, Paraguay held on to secure a 1-0 win over Turkey.
New law introduced before the tournament
The regulation was approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) during a special meeting in Vancouver in April, and will be implemented for the first time at the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino previously supported the measure, arguing that referees should assume that players may be trying to cover up inappropriate comments when they cover their mouths.
However, officials still have discretion and are expected to assess each situation individually before issuing a red card.
Previous controversies have raised concerns
The issue gained prominence earlier this year when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth while talking to Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. during the Champions League match.
Although initially accused of racist abuse, Prestianni was later handed a six-match ban for homophobic behavior following a UEFA investigation.
Almiron has already found himself at the center of another new law during Paraguay’s first game against the United States, when a VAR review overturned a wrong decision in his favor and resulted in the winger being booked for simulation.
Paraguay will secure a place in the knockout stages if they beat Australia in their final group game on Friday.
