FIFA charges Paredes and Molina with assault after World Cup final clash with Spain

FIFA has lodged disciplinary charges against Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes and defender Nahuel Molina for assaulting Spain opponents in the aftermath of the World Cup final, with the governing body also pursuing Argentina’s football federation over a political banner displayed during the tournament.

Paredes faces three counts of assault stemming from post-match clashes following Spain’s 1-0 victory on July 19, while Molina faces two. Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala has been charged with one count of assault in connection with the same incident. Molina and Thiago Almada are additionally charged with unsporting behaviour, a charge that has also been levelled at Spain’s Gavi.

In a separate matter, Argentina’s federation faces a charge of “using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature” after players carried a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” — “The Malvinas are Argentine” — onto the pitch following their 2-1 semifinal victory over England. British government officials had urged FIFA to investigate the display. Argentina refers to the Falkland Islands as Islas Malvinas; the islands were invaded in 1982 under Argentina’s then-military dictatorship, triggering a 10-week war won by Britain.

The full list of disciplinary cases opened by FIFA against Argentina also includes “discriminatory chants and gestures” by supporters and “throwing of objects by spectators in relation to several matches” during the tournament.

FIFA confirmed that all individuals and parties charged “have now been provided with the opportunity to present their position, following which a decision will be issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in due course.”