Gianluca Prestianni's World Cup Suspension Impact

Gianluca Prestianni will miss Argentina’s opening two games at this summer’s World Cup if Lionel Scaloni names him in the squad, after his suspension for abusing Vinicius Jr was extended to a global ban.

The 20-year-old Benfica winger was hit with a six-match punishment by Uefa last month, having admitted using homophobic language towards the Real Madrid forward during their Champions League meeting in February. He had already served a provisional one-game ban; Fifa has now confirmed that sanction will apply worldwide, with two further matches to be served and three more suspended for two years.

The decision means any World Cup call-up comes with an immediate cost. Prestianni, capped just once in a friendly against Angola in November 2025, would be unavailable for Argentina’s first two fixtures at the tournament. Scaloni brought him into the squad again in March, but he stayed on the bench for both friendlies.

The flashpoint with Vinicius initially carried even heavier jeopardy. The Brazilian had accused Prestianni of racially abusing him, an allegation the Argentine denied. A guilty verdict on that charge would have triggered a minimum 10-match ban from European competition. Instead, the case concluded with the homophobic abuse admission and the six-game suspension now recognised across the globe.

For club and country, the timing is awkward. Argentina must weigh up whether a young winger with one cap is worth a World Cup place he cannot fully use. Benfica, still fighting for European qualification, know that if Prestianni is left out of the World Cup squad, the remaining matches of his ban will instead bite into next season’s Champions League or Europa League campaign.

Either way, the next time Prestianni steps onto a major stage, he will do so under a spotlight that is no longer just about his talent.