Paraguay's Miguel Almiron has made football history by becoming the first player ever to receive a red card under the new rule against covering the mouth while speaking to an opponent during a FIFA World Cup match.

The incident occurred during a group-stage match against Turkey in San Francisco, just before half-time with Paraguay leading 1-0. The 32-year-old midfielder was seen covering his mouth with his hand while talking to Turkey defender Mert Muldur.

Muldur immediately brought the matter to the attention of a nearby match official. After a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), referee Ivan Barton of El Salvador informed the crowd that Almiron was being sent off for the offense.

"This is a historic moment in football," said a football analyst following the match. "The new rule has been enforced for the first time at a major tournament, and Almiron has unfortunately become the first player to be shown a red card under this regulation."

New Rule Enforcement at World Cup

The FIFA World Cup is the first major tournament where the new regulation is being enforced. The rule was approved during a special meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab) in Vancouver in April this year.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino had previously supported the move, stating that referees should work from a "presumption" that players have said "something they shouldn't have" when they deliberately cover their mouths during conversations on the field. However, the final decision remains with the referee, who is expected to assess the circumstances of each incident before deciding whether a red card is warranted.

Background to the Rule

The issue of players covering their mouths gained significant attention earlier this year during a UEFA Champions League match involving Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid. Prestianni raised his shirt while speaking to Vinicius and was later accused of racist abuse, an allegation he denied.

After a UEFA investigation, Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic conduct rather than racist abuse and was handed a six-match suspension, with three matches suspended.

Not Almiron's First World Cup Controversy

This is not the first time Almiron has been affected by a newly introduced law at this World Cup. During Paraguay's opening group-stage match against the United States, referee initially booked US defender Tim Ream for a foul on Almiron.

However, following a VAR review, officials concluded that Almiron had simulated the incident, and the yellow card was instead shown to the Paraguayan player.

The red card controversy adds to a challenging start for Almiron at the World Cup, who now faces a suspension following this unprecedented ruling.