Ángel Di María has become the highest-profile voice from within the Argentina squad to push back on FIFA's punishments for the ugly scenes that followed last month's World Cup final defeat to Spain, describing the bans handed to Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina as "quite exaggerated."
"I think it's exaggerated, I'm sure in the end it will be much less for him (Paredes) and for Nahuel (Molina)," Di María told reporters. On the brawl itself, he added: "It's something that could happen because they grabbed each other there at the end, but it's all pretty exaggerated."
He was speaking after Rosario Central, the club he now captains, drew 2-2 with Talleres de Córdoba in Argentina's Clausura tournament, with his comments carried by Infobae and other Argentine outlets and reported in Israel by ONE.
FIFA's disciplinary committee came down hardest on Paredes, who was banned for ten matches and fined $90,000 after grabbing Spain defender Eric García by the throat and shoving Gavi to the ground in the chaotic aftermath of the final whistle. Molina received a seven-match ban and a matching $90,000 fine.
Midfielder Thiago Almada was given a one-match suspension and a $30,000 fine, while Roberto Ayala, Lionel Scaloni's assistant, was banned for three matches and fined $30,000 after footage showed him punching Spain's Dani Olmo.
The unrest erupted moments after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the World Cup, Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal deep into the second period of extra time. Argentina played the closing stages a man short after Enzo Fernández was sent off, and tempers boiled over once the final whistle confirmed Spain's second world title.
FIFA also hit the Argentine Football Association with a $321,000 fine covering several separate breaches, including a banner referencing the Falklands/Malvinas dispute unveiled after Argentina's win over England, plus discriminatory chanting and gestures by supporters. The AFA must additionally play its next two home matches with attendance capped at 50 percent.
The federation has said it intends to appeal the sanctions, with a further escalation to the Court of Arbitration for Sport considered likely if FIFA's own appeals process does not soften the bans, according to Argentine reporting on the case.
International media reaction has been split, with some outlets framing the suspensions as a fitting response to a World Cup final marred by violence and others, echoing Di María, calling the accompanying fine on the AFA comparatively "risible" next to the length of the individual bans.
Di María, 38, retired from international football after captaining Argentina to the 2022 World Cup, the 2022 Finalissima and back-to-back Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, finishing his Albiceleste career with 145 caps and 31 goals. He now leads Rosario Central, fourth in Group B of the Clausura on 11 points after their draw with Talleres, having recently been eliminated from the Copa Libertadores by Corinthians.
