England midfielder Dele Alli will miss the World Cup qualifier against Slovenia next week after being handed a one-match ban for making an obscene middle-finger gesture.
Alli was caught on camera raising his finger in the direction of French referee Clement Turpin during England’s qualifier against Slovakia at Wembley this month and had risked a potential four-game ban.
He had said the gesture was made in jest towards his former Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Kyle Walker.
World football’s governing body FIFA ruled on Friday that the 21-year-old’s behaviour had been “offensive and unsporting” and also fined him 5,000 Swiss francs ($5,200).
Alli, who has been named in England’s squad for the next two qualifiers, will now be available to play Lithuania on Sunday week.
England lead Group F on 20 points, five ahead of second-placed Slovakia, and are one win away from sealing their spot at next year’s World Cup in Russia.
