Lisandro Martinez’s teammate officially handed 10-match ban

Lisandro Martinez has endured a turbulent couple of years for club and country.

However, one of his teammates has now been hit with an extraordinary punishment.

The Manchester United defender only recently revealed just how difficult his repeated injury setbacks had become, admitting he even considered walking away from football altogether during his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Martinez explained that he seriously contemplated retirement during the early stages of that rehabilitation before eventually fighting his way back onto the pitch.

The 28-year-old has since remained an important figure for United and his country, with his aggressive defending, leadership and ability in possession making him a key presence whenever available.

Football suspensions can vary dramatically depending on the offence.

However, bans stretching into double figures are particularly significant at international level because of the limited number of fixtures played each year.

Lisandro Martinez himself was surrounded by controversy during the summer, with FIFA urged to take action against him following Argentina’s World Cup semi-final victory over England.

Lisandro Martinez teammate receives huge FIFA punishment

FIFA have now officially confirmed that Martinez’s Argentina teammate Leandro Paredes has been handed a 10-match international suspension.

According to FIFA, the punishment relates to incidents following Argentina’s 1-0 defeat against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19.

Paredes has also been fined $90,000.

Meanwhile, fellow Argentina defender Nahuel Molina has received a seven-match suspension and the same financial penalty. Thiago Almada has been banned for one match and fined $30,000.

The sanctions apply only to international football and will carry over into Argentina’s upcoming representative-team fixtures.

Argentina’s football association was separately fined $321,000 over several disciplinary breaches, while restrictions have also been imposed on attendance at upcoming home matches.