Argentina is looking to defend its crown as it faces Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final played at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
The match ended 0-0 in regulation time, sending it into 30 minutes of extra time.
In the closing stages of the second half, Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez was shown a second yellow for a tackle on Pau Cubarsí, following which there were clashes between the players of both teams.
During the commotion, Marc Cucurella was seen talking to Lionel Messi before briefly covering his mouth and removing his hand. Messi immediately indicated it to the referee, who, after VAR checks, deemed that there were no malicious words exchanged and hence did not warrant a red card.
Earlier in the tournament, Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron and Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie were shown red cards for similar offences.
Under FIFA’s new rules, a player who covers their mouth with a hand, arm or shirt during a confrontation is liable to be shown a red card.
The rule does not apply to players who cover their mouths during non-confrontational conversations, such as friendly exchanges with club teammates representing opposing sides.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino backed the introduction of the law after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni attempted to conceal verbal insults directed at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match.
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Published on Jul 20, 2026