Former Newcastle United favourite Miguel Almiron broke his silence and apologised to his Paraguay team-mates following his record-making red card at the World Cup.
Historic Dismissal
The 32-year-old made history as the first player ever to be dismissed for covering his mouth, receiving his marching orders during the first half of their 1-0 win over Turkey.
The incident occurred on the stroke of half-time when a scuffle broke out after a Turkey player attempted to pick up an injured Isidro Pitta while referee Ivan Arcides Barton Cisneros had halted play. A heated confrontation ensued, forcing officials to step in and separate the players, but away from the chaos, Almiron made the gesture as he walked past Mert Muldur, who was quick to alert the nearby assistant referee.
Matias Galarza's solitary strike proved sufficient as the South American side claimed a crucial win in Group D.
Almiron's Apology
Taking to his Instagram story, Almiron posted a photo of his team-mates celebrating alongside a message that roughly translates as: "I want to thank the effort of my teammates today, leaving everything in each ball, thank you, thank you, thank you, a pride to be part of this selection."
Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro revealed that Almiron had issued an apology to his fellow players following the incident. He said: "According to the law, if you cover your mouth you're sent off. Red card. There's nothing I can do about that. Unfortunately, we can't issue a new opinion on this. He [Almiron] apologised to the players for his mistake. He knew about the situation he had left his team-mates in with his actions."
New FIFA Ruling
Ahead of the World Cup, FIFA introduced a ruling stating that any player who covers their mouth during a confrontational situation with an opponent could receive a red card. A special meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) took place in April, where amendments were introduced for implementation at the World Cup, including a red card for any player caught covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent.
Impact on Paraguay
Almiron will subsequently miss Paraguay's final group stage clash against Australia on June 26 in San Francisco. The Paraguayans currently sit third in the table due to their inferior goal difference, although a win would be enough to clinch their place in the knockout rounds.
Following a crushing 4-0 loss against co-hosts USA in their opening group match, Paraguay were facing the prospect of an early exit going into the fixture. Their battling victory, however, has resulted in Turkey - positioned 22nd in the FIFA world rankings - being eliminated from the tournament.
Should either team ultimately finish third, they will be aiming to secure the distinction of best third-placed side, with the top eight nations finishing in third progressing to the first knockout round via the trap door.
