Leandro Paredes has broken his silence after finding himself at the center of the World Cup final brawl now under FIFA investigation, paying tribute to “the best Argentinian national team in history” while making no mention of the confrontation.
Spain edged Argentina 1-0 after extra time on July 19, thanks to Ferran Torres’ decisive strike in the 106th minute, denying Lionel Messi what many believe could have been the 40-year-old’s final opportunity to lift football’s biggest prize.
Minutes after the final whistle, however, attention shifted away from Spain’s victory as emotions boiled over on the pitch.
Scuffle on the pitch
Video footage showed players from both teams becoming involved in a heated confrontation, with Leandro Paredes among those at the center of the incident.
The Argentina midfielder appeared to grab Spain defender Eric Garcia by the throat before substitute Pablo Gavi stepped in, after which Paredes appeared to push the Spanish midfielder to the ground.
Players and coaching staff from both sides quickly rushed in as they attempted to separate those involved and prevent the situation from escalating further.
But the bad blood between the two sides remained visible even after order had been restored. As the new world champions stepped onto the podium to lift the trophy, Argentina’s players turned away to face their own supporters instead of watching the presentation, despite Spain having formed a guard of honor for the legendary Messi and his team as they collected their runners-up medals.
FIFA investigation
The scene involving the scuffle on the pitch prompted FIFA to launch an investigation the following day.
In a statement shared by the Associated Press (AP), FIFA confirmed that its disciplinary committee had “appointed a Disciplinary and Ethics Prosecutor to investigate potential breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code with regard to the post-match incidents.”
The governing body did not identify any of the players under investigation or provide a timetable for when the disciplinary process would conclude.
Although Leandro Paredes was not sent off after the match, he could still face sanctions if FIFA determines he breached its disciplinary code.
Initial reports suggested Paredes had been shown a straight red card after the match. However, the BBC later reported that the dismissal had been mistakenly listed on FIFA’s commentator information system before being removed, meaning his red card was deleted and “no disciplinary action was taken at the time.”
Paredes breaks his silence
Paredes eventually addressed the aftermath of the final, though not in the way many expected.
In an Instagram post, the midfielder reflected on Argentina’s run to the World Cup final, choosing to celebrate his teammates and the tournament instead of the confrontation now under FIFA investigation.
Alongside a series of photographs from the tournament, including one showing him walking past the World Cup trophy wearing his runners-up medal, the 32-year-old focused on his pride in representing Argentina and thanked those who had been part of the team’s journey.
“Today I write with a heavy heart, having been unable to bring our country the joy it so richly deserves, yet with a chest full of pride for having given everything we had and for flying our flag at the very top once again!” he wrote in the post.
He then turned his attention to his teammates and everyone involved with the national side.
“Thank you to everyone who was part of this national team – to this group of players who gave their all to represent this jersey, fighting right up to the final second of every match!”
He closed his message, writing: “It was an honor to be part of the best Argentinian national team in history!!”
Falkland banner
The latest investigation comes as FIFA is also considering possible disciplinary action against Argentina after players displayed a banner supporting the country’s claim to the Falkland Islands following their 2-1 semifinal victory over England.
Britain and Argentina have long disputed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, making the banner politically controversial.
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