Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández became the sixth player to be sent off in a World Cup final after collecting two yellow cards in Sunday’s defeat to Spain. Lionel Messi did his best to make sure Marc Cucurella became the seventh.
In the immediate aftermath of Fernández’s dismissal—a second yellow card for a clumsy foul on Pau Cubarsí 10 minutes after being cautioned for dissent—Messi raised his hand to wave frantically at the referee, pointing directly at Cucurella and clearly accusing the Spain left back of covering his mouth to talk.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón and Ecuador’s Piero Hincapié were both dismissed for breaching the new rule introduced for this summer’s tournament, which was inspired by the controversy surrounding Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni last season as he was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior. Prestianni covered his mouth in the confrontation, meaning no evidence could ever be found.
So, why was Cucurella not sent off?
The Key Detail That Saved Cucurella
The reason behind keeping Cucurella on the pitch can be found in the details of what many have dubbed ‘the Prestianni rule.’
FIFA did not outlaw the practice of a player covering their mouth to talk, but confirmed red cards would be handed out if a player was found to have done so during a confrontation. We have already seen several players cover their mouths in routine conversations, with England’s Jude Bellingham perhaps the most prominent example during an interaction with Ghana’s Jordan Ayew. No red card was shown to the Real Madrid midfielder.
A review of the footage of Sunday’s final shows Cucurella walk up to Messi and, while speaking, touch his mouth for a brief moment. It is impossible to know what the left back said, but there was no obvious malice to be seen.
While being unable to review the words used while Cucurella’s mouth was covered, the incident will undoubtedly have been checked following Messi’s desperate plea, but with no evidence of a heated conversation, Cucurella was given the benefit of the doubt, with most supporters agreeing the right decision had been made.
“Argentina play like that, we know that’s what they do,” former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney told the BBC. “The one thing you want is good sportsmanship. That was sad to see, Lionel Messi doing that.”
Will the ‘Prestianni Rule’ Remain After the World Cup?
When first introduced, many were complimentary of the new rule, with the fallout of the incident between Prestianni and Vinícius still fresh in the minds.
The concern that arose during the World Cup is the subjectivity of the decision. While Cucurella did not appear to be acting aggressively, he could have still very easily covered his mouth at the exact moment he used an offensive word to hide it from the camera. A lack of clarity over what constitutes a heated confrontation left the door open for Messi to try and get Cucurella sent off.
If FIFA chooses to keep the rule for future tournaments, it may need refining, but it may be a while before fans and players are confronted with the rule again.
In Europe, UEFA has already confirmed it will not use red cards to punish players for covering their mouths. Instead, referees will be encouraged to hand out yellow cards to anybody “attempting to conceal communication as an act of unsporting behavior.” Still, the ambiguity remains.
Lawmakers across the globe will all have to decide whether to follow FIFA or UEFA’s approach.
