Four players are facing the prospect of a 10-15 match suspension for club and country following their antics in the World Cup.
The four players accused of acting out of order are Edinson Cavani, Jose Maria Giménez, Diego Godin and Fernando Muslera, and the foursome are in danger of facing the wrath from FIFA.
Uruguay crashed out of the World Cup in the group stages, finishing third, level on points with South Korea, despite winning their last game against Ghana.
The Asian side qualified as a result of them scoring two more goals than Uruguay, in a group they were favourites to qualify from.
The game against Ghana was naturally heated due to the prior history between the two sides at the 2010 World Cup, and those emotions, coupled with the tension of a final group game to decide qualification, resulted in the actions that have seen the four players potentially reprimanded by FIFA.
According to Spanish media outlet AS, the four players have been collared for breaching articles 11 and 12 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, and now await the decision from the governing body, with the FIFA disciplinary rulebook stating: “The prohibition of carrying out activities related to football for at least six months.”.
The final decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee will not be known until the end of February and there’s a risk that the players could be banned from playing for their clubs, as well as their countries as a result.
It’s also reported that Giménez hit a FIFA official and Cavani threw the VAR monitor to the ground on the way to the changing room tunnel in the aftermath of the incident.
Considering their actions, the duo could face up to six months as FIFA Committee could qualify the acts attributable to the players as incitement public “hate or violence”.
Cavani joined Valencia this summer and the 35-year-old has been a key figure for his country across his 136 caps, having scored 58 goals and represented his country at four World Cups.
Whilst Giménez is certainly a key player for Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, his absence would be a big miss for the Spanish side, as they look to look to improve their form to solidify their top four position, but he’s also key for his country, having made 81 caps since his debut in 2013.
Keeper Muslera has made his name at Galatasaray, having been at the club since 2011 and he’s been a key figure for his country, with the 36-year-old making 133 caps.
Lastly, Godin has been a top defender in Europe for years and was influential in Atletico’s rise under Simeone in the early 2010’s, but the 36-year-old is still key for his country.
With 161 caps since his debut in 2005, he is certainly a legend for Uruguay; he currently plies his trade at Vélez Sarsfield in the Argentinian first division.
We won’t know the outcome of FIFA’s decision until February, and the players will be hoping to escape what would be a severe punishment, especially given the ages of Cavani, Muslera and Godin.
