FIFA extends a ban on Benfica and Argentina winger Gianluca Prestianni worldwide following disciplinary action linked to discriminatory conduct toward Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior. Multiple outlets report that the ban is applied globally and means Prestianni would be unavailable for Argentina’s early World Cup matches if he is selected in the squad. Specifically, he could miss the first two group games in the United States.
The decision follows an earlier UEFA ruling. The Guardian and other reports say UEFA imposed a six-match ban after an incident during a Champions League context in which Prestianni verbally abused Vinícius Júnior and covered his mouth with his jersey while using the insult. The underlying conduct is described by outlets as discriminatory, with the Athletic and Sky Sports referring to homophobic conduct in their characterizations of the FIFA extension.
Prestianni is also described as having limited international experience, including one Argentina appearance since November. Across the reports, the key point is that FIFA’s global extension carries over into World Cup availability.
