FIFA has announced a global ban for Gianluca Prestianni, the Benfica winger, which will prevent him from participating in two World Cup matches in the United States if he is included in Argentina's squad. This decision follows a six-game ban imposed by UEFA two weeks ago due to Prestianni's verbal abuse directed at Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match.

Details of the Ban

Prestianni's ban stems from an incident where he allegedly used an insult while covering his mouth with his jersey. UEFA's investigation focused on a racist remark that Vinícius claimed was made, with support from his teammate Kylian Mbappé. Although UEFA could not substantiate the claim of a racist insult, Prestianni admitted to using an anti-gay slur. As part of the disciplinary actions, he has already served one match of his suspension by missing the second leg of the Champions League knockout playoff against Madrid in February.

World Cup Implications

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has now extended UEFA's ban to apply globally, which means Prestianni will miss Argentina's opening matches against Algeria on June 17 and Austria five days later. The group also includes World Cup debutant Jordan. It remains uncertain whether Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, still intends to include Prestianni in the squad to defend their World Cup title, especially since he was an unused substitute in a recent warm-up match against Zambia.

If Prestianni is not selected for the World Cup, he will continue to serve the remainder of his ban in a UEFA-organized European competition next season. Additionally, FIFA has recently made it a red card offense for players to cover their mouths while insulting opponents, a rule change approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).