Jackson Irvine, a member of the Socceroos, has expressed his support for FIFA’s decision to issue red cards to players who cover their mouths while speaking, following Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón receiving a historic red card against Turkey.
The upcoming match between the Socceroos and Paraguay at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Thursday (Friday AEST) will determine the second-place team in their group. A loss for either side could lead to a tense wait to see if they qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams from the tournament’s twelve groups.
Almirón became the first player to be sent off under a new FIFA rule aimed at curbing the practice of players obscuring their mouths during exchanges with opponents. His suspension is a significant advantage for the Socceroos as they prepare for their final Group D matchup.
Irvine, who serves on Fifpro’s global player council, emphasized that players had ample warning regarding the regulation and deemed it necessary. “I know it’s going to be controversial in some ways because we don’t know the nature of what [the comment] was, but when you look at what’s happened in the past, especially around what happened with Vinícius Júnior, I think it takes everything out of the equation.” he stated.
The incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni earlier this year, where he made remarks to Real Madrid’s Júnior while covering his mouth, was a prominent example of this behavior. Although Prestianni was not shown a red card during the Champions League match, he later received a six-match ban for using homophobic language.
The International Football Association Board, which oversees the game’s regulations, sanctioned the implementation of a red card for such conduct back in April.
Irvine stated that Almirón cannot contest the decision. “If you’re saying something to someone that you don’t want to be seen, then I think it’s safe to say that if you can’t be seen saying it, then it shouldn’t be said,” he remarked. “For me, it’s a clear line on the rule, and we were all told about it, so it is what it is.”
Despite Almirón’s absence, Paraguay is entering the match with confidence after their 1-0 win against Turkey. To secure a spot above the Socceroos in Group D, they must emerge victorious.
Historically, Australia has never triumphed over a South American team in World Cup play, and Irvine anticipates a challenging contest. He noted that Paraguay will bring a physical, skilled, and unpredictable style to the field, distinctly different from their previous matches against Turkey and the USA.
“just a totally different type of game” he commented. “incredible individual quality”
Irvine stressed that the Socceroos must improve their start against Paraguay compared to their performance against the USA. “Watching Paraguay against Turkey last night, there was a sequence towards the end of the game that sums up their style of football,” he explained.
“It was with about five minutes to go, and they had won the ball back high up the pitch, and they had a chance to go to the corner. The guy just whips the cross into the back stick with three guys, and they try and score again with 10 men and they’re 1-0 up. Expect the unexpected. I guess that’s probably the best way to put it.”
