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Paraguay bans Messi shirts ahead of Argentina World Cup qualifier

13. November 2024
Lionel Messi (foto: Getty Images)
Paraguay has banned Lionel Messi shirts for the World Cup qualifier against Argentina, aiming to create a home-only atmosphere and avoid clashes between fans.

The national teams of Paraguay and Argentina will face off in a World Cup qualifying match in the early hours of Friday, with Argentina currently leading the standings and Paraguay in sixth place. Ahead of the highly anticipated match, the Paraguayan Football Association has made a controversial decision to ban Lionel Messi shirts from the stadium.

According to the ban, any fans arriving at the stadium wearing Messi's shirt—whether it’s an Argentina national team jersey or one of his club shirts—will not be allowed entry. Fernando Villasboa, president of the Paraguayan FA, explained the decision in an interview with Radio La Red.

"No one will be allowed to wear Argentine shirts or foreign club shirts with foreign names. We’re going to paint the stadium in Paraguay’s colors and support our players the way they deserve. It will be our way," Villasboa stated.

This isn’t the first time Paraguay has imposed such restrictions. Fans were also prohibited from wearing Vinicius Junior shirts during a previous World Cup qualifying match against Brazil, with officials citing security concerns aimed at preventing potential clashes between rival supporters.

Standings provided by Sofascore
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