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Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni is set to miss Argentina's opening two matches of the upcoming World Cup if selected, after his suspension for abusing Vinicius Junior was extended globally.
The 20-year-old was initially handed a six-match ban by UEFA following an incident during a Champions League fixture in February. Prestianni admitted to using homophobic language toward the Real Madrid forward during the match. He has already served a provisional one-match suspension, meaning two more matches of the ban will be enforced immediately, while the remaining three are suspended for a period of two years.
FIFA has now approved UEFA's request to extend the sanction worldwide, ensuring the punishment applies across all competitions and international fixtures. As a result, if Prestianni is included in Argentina's squad for the World Cup, he will be unavailable for the team's first two games of the tournament.
Prestianni has limited experience at international level, having made just one appearance for Argentina national football team in a friendly against Angola in November 2025. He was also called up by head coach Lionel Scaloni earlier this year but did not feature in subsequent friendlies.
The controversy surrounding the incident intensified after Vinicius initially alleged that Prestianni had directed racist abuse at him, a claim the Benfica player denied. Had he been found guilty of racist conduct, the punishment could have been significantly harsher, including a minimum 10-match suspension from European competitions.
If Prestianni does not make the World Cup squad, the remaining matches of his ban will instead be served at club level, either in the Champions League or the Europa League, depending on Benfica's qualification for European competitions next season.
The incident also drew attention to player conduct during matches. Prestianni was seen covering his mouth with his shirt while speaking to Vinicius, a gesture that has since come under scrutiny. Officials have indicated that similar actions could result in a red card at the World Cup, as part of efforts to improve transparency and accountability on the pitch.
The decision highlights football's ongoing efforts to address inappropriate behaviour and enforce disciplinary measures consistently across both club and international levels.
