FIFA has officially extended Gianluca Prestianni's suspension to a global level, meaning the Benfica winger could miss two World Cup matches if he makes Argentina's squad for this summer's tournament in the United States. The 20-year-old's ban stems from a Champions League incident where he directed verbal abuse at Real Madrid's Brazilian star, Vinícius Júnior.
The saga began two weeks ago when UEFA handed Prestianni a six-game suspension—with three of those games deferred on probation—after he covered his mouth with his jersey while using an insult toward Vinícius. Now, FIFA has answered UEFA's request to apply the ban worldwide, which includes the World Cup starting next month.
"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to have worldwide effect," the governing body confirmed in a statement Wednesday.
It remains to be seen whether Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni still plans to include Prestianni in his squad as the defending champions look to retain their title. Argentina kicks off their campaign against Algeria on June 17 in Kansas City, followed by a clash with Austria five days later in Arlington, Texas. The group also features World Cup debutants Jordan.
Prestianni, who earned his first and only senior cap for Argentina in a November friendly, was an unused substitute during the team's most recent warmup match against Zambia on March 31. When Scaloni called him up for that camp, he sidestepped questions about the ongoing UEFA investigation, simply noting that he needed the Benfica talent because Paulo Dybala was unavailable.
The controversy dates back to the Champions League, where Vinícius Júnior—supported by Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé—alleged that Prestianni used a racist insult, specifically the Spanish word for "monkey," while hiding his mouth behind his raised red jersey. UEFA ultimately could not prove the racial slur, which Prestianni denied, though he did admit to using a homophobic remark.
Prestianni has already served the first match of his ban after UEFA barred him from facing Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League knockout playoff in February. With the global extension now in place, his World Cup dreams hang in the balance.