FIFA's 10-match ban pushes Paredes toward Argentina retirement after World Cup brawl

Leandro Paredes has suggested he could walk away from international football after FIFA handed him a 10-match ban and a £66,000 fine for his involvement in a mass brawl following Argentina’s 1-0 World Cup final defeat to Spain.

The Boca Juniors midfielder was seen trading blows at full-time before shoving Spain’s Gavi to the ground. Defender Nahuel Molina was also punished, receiving a seven-match suspension and an identical fine. Following an appeal from the Argentine FA, FIFA agreed to allow Paredes’ suspension to be served across Class A friendlies as well as competitive fixtures — a partial concession that has done little to persuade him to continue.

“It’s going to be difficult for me to stay with the national team,” Paredes admitted. “Because of the suspension as well, because of Leo’s decision. It’s going to be difficult for everything to carry on as before. I haven’t discussed it with the coach yet, but we’ll talk and see what decision I make.”

His comments arrive just weeks after Lionel Messi announced his own retirement from international football, with the World Cup final against Spain serving as his farewell. Paredes acknowledged the scale of the void that departure leaves.

“Leo’s legacy will live on forever because of what he achieved, for never giving up and for showing that dreams are hard won, pursued and, in the end, fulfilled,” he said. “We’d spoken in the final days of the World Cup about how the final would surely be his last match, but even so, we weren’t prepared for that because of what he means to us.”

Should Paredes step away, he will do so with a considerable international record: a World Cup winner’s medal from Qatar 2022 and two Copa America titles to his name. The decision now rests on conversations with coach Lionel Scaloni, which Paredes says are yet to take place.