Argentine football has always walked a fine line between potrero (street-style magic) and outright provocation. But according to the latest ruling from the Argentine Football Association (AFA), that line just got officially redrawn.
The AFA’s National Directorate of Refereeing, led by Federico Beligoy, has officially classified standing on the ball as an act of unsporting behavior. The new mandate is clear: any player who stops play to stand on top of the ball will receive an automatic yellow card, and the opposing team will be awarded an indirect free kick.
The tipping point occurred during the Matchday 14 Apertura clash between Estudiantes and Union Santa Fe. Union’s Julián Palacios stopped his dribble and stood on top of the ball right in front of Estudiantes defender Eros Mancuso.