Argentina players and staff have finally found out their punishments after the chaos at the end of the 2026 World Cup final, with three players and one member of staff sanctioned. One Spain player has also been punished.

FIFA opened an investigation into the actions of the South American side following their 1-0 loss against Spain at MetLife Stadium in July. Leandro Paredes was at the centre of the chaos, which saw him grab Gavi by the throat and throw him to the floor.

Meanwhile, Nicolas Otamendi was seen in a heated confrontation with Spanish captain Rodri, and Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala ‘punched’ Dani Olmo. Now, the guilty parties have been handed their individual punishments.

Paredes and Four Others Punished For World Cup Antics

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Following the investigation, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to take action against Paredes, Ayala, Thiago Almada and Nahuel Molina. Martyn Ziegler of The Times posted further information about the action FIFA has now taken on X.

Gavi has also been handed a $30,000 fine and a one-match ban for his part in the physical altercation. Almada was given the exact same sanction for his actions.

Meanwhile, Ayala will serve a three-match suspension on top of his $30,000 fine. The biggest punishments by far have been given to Paredes and Molina.

Both men got physical after the final whistle, with Paredes being handed a 10-match suspension, while Molina will miss seven games. The pair have also been given $90,000 fines.

Paredes Could ‘Escape’ His Ban

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The 2026 World Cup appeared to be the end of the line for several members of Argentina’s squad. Lionel Scaloni relied heavily on many of the players who were key to the 2022 success in Qatar for one last dance.

Otamendi has already confirmed his retirement from La Albiceleste, while Lionel Messi’s future in the blue and white stripes looks uncertain. Paredes, 32, could effectively ‘escape’ the ban by simply retiring from international football. It wouldn’t prevent the fine from having to be paid but a suspension won’t really matter if he doesn’t intend on playing for Argentina again.

Whether he’ll do that or not remains to be seen. But Paredes certainly won’t be involved for his country in the next 10 games, at least.

EA Sports has officially confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo‘s overall rating for FC 27 — and it’s his lowest base card in more than two decades.

Whilst the game isn’t always the best indicator of the overall football reality, the former Real Madrid star’s steady decline in ratings helps to go some way in showing his current perceived level of performance in what is now the twilight of his career.

Here’s everything to know about Ronaldo’s rating, and how it ranks with the rest of the elite in the sport.

Cristiano Ronaldo EA Sports FC 27 Rating

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Posting his lowest card in years, Ronaldo has fallen to 84, from 85 last year, and has seen a decline across the board, except with shooting. Regardless of the other statistics, his real-world record in the 2025/26 season for Al-Nassr was strong, with 30 goals in 37 games in all competitions.

Now 41, and in the twilight of his career, it is to be expected that other figures such as dribbling, pace and physicality have all taken hits. Yet, some fans have pointed out that he recorded a top speed of 33.7 km/h in the 2026 World Cup, according to WhoScored, which suggests his figures are a little harsh.

An overall rating of 84 places him as the joint second-highest player in the Saudi Pro League, with only Rúben Neves recording a higher score (85). Tied with him are Sergej Milinković-Savić and Mexican star Julián Quiñones.

Cristiano Ronaldo Rating Change from FC 26 to FC 27

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As mentioned, the drop-off is to be expected due to his involvement in the Saudi Pro League, a league that is considered to be outside the top 10 leagues in world football.

Plus, his performances at the World Cup for Portugal drew criticism, so much so that many within the media demanded he retire from international duty following Portugal’s exit at the hands of Spain, with his overall effectiveness at that level clearly diminished.

Despite his regular scoring rate at club level, it hasn’t been recognised by EA as being good enough to maintain last year’s figures.

Looking back across the past decade, there has been a steady decline across the years in terms of his overall rating.

His long stay in the 90s was quickly curtailed in FIFA 23, as his original 90 rating was downgraded to 87 mid-cycle following his move to Al-Nassr. It has since trickled down year by year.

It is important to consider the context; 84 is still the highest base card ever assigned to a 41-year-old in the franchise’s history. This year also marks the first time since his 2023 move that Ronaldo isn’t the top-rated player in his own league, being overtaken by Al Hilal’s Neves.

Cristiano Ronaldo EA FC Ratings Change

How Does Cristiano Ronaldo Compare to Others in FC 27?

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Given he is no longer at the top of the game, Ronaldo has fallen below other elite figures. The top of the pyramid includes Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland (both with 91). Then there’s a chasing pack that includes big-hitters such as: Rodri, Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Thibaut Courtois and Jude Bellingham (all rated 90).

Interestingly, Messi, 89, is among them. Ronaldo’s new rating ensures he misses the Top 27 entirely. As it stands, that 27 is a list this year that doesn’t dip below 88.

The comparison was always with his Ballon d’Or rival, Messi. However, despite the two former leading stars featuring in similar leagues in terms of overall quality and depth, it seems Messi has been rewarded for his World Cup efforts.

Messi’s card moved in the opposite direction — moving three points up from last year’s 86. Whilst once the two were the standout figures, ruling at the top together, that symmetry is now gone. Despite being 39 and featuring outside of Europe in MLS — a league that is far from the competitive weight EA’s model typically rewards due to its level — a stunning run of 12 goal involvements (eight goals) in eight games for Argentina at the World Cup was enough to warrant an upgrade.

In contrast, Ronaldo struggled, as ex-professionals honed in on how Roberto Martinez‘s side at the time would be better off without the former Real Madrid superstar.

Ronaldo’s 84 still places him in the bracket of very good players, alongside the likes of Bruno Guimarães, Enzo Fernández and Dominik Szoboszlai, but behind the likes of Bukayo Saka, Jamal Musiala and Lautaro Martínez.