Darwin Núñez has been slapped with a five-match suspension from international duty following an incident where he leaped into the crowd during a scuffle between Uruguay and Colombia supporters. Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur faces a four-match ban as well, though these penalties won’t affect their participation in club fixtures. The altercation erupted after Núñez’s Uruguay team suffered a 1-0 defeat in their Copa America semi-final.

Reports indicate that Núñez jumped into the stands to protect his family and attempted to throw a foldable chair before a security guard stepped in to prevent any harm. Along with his suspension, Núñez has been fined £15,145. Additionally, three other Uruguayan players—Mathías Olivera, Ronaldo Araujo, and José Giménez—have been handed three-match suspensions.

Núñez will be absent for Uruguay’s upcoming friendly against Guatemala and for four pivotal World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. Uruguay is currently in second place, trailing Argentina after six matches, with the top six teams automatically qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Atlético Madrid defender Giménez voiced his anger over the inadequate security for players’ families in a fiery post-match interview, saying, “Let me say this before they cut me off because they don’t want us speaking into the microphone. They don’t want me to talk about what’s happening, but this situation is a complete disaster.”