Argentina's 'troublemaker' has spoken out for the first time following the clash with Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
On 21 July 2026, Leandro Paredes, midfielder for the Argentina national team, made his latest statement via his personal social media after Argentina lost 0-1 to Spain in extra time in the 2026 World Cup final.
This defeat meant Argentina failed to defend their World Cup title and missed out on their fourth championship. Meanwhile, Leandro Paredes became a controversial figure after being one of the players involved in the post-match scuffle with Spain.
Despite criticism regarding the scandalous incident, Leandro Paredes chose not to address it directly in his first public statement on Instagram. Instead, he posted an emotional message saying, "Thank you, Argentina!!! I love you all, today and always."
"Today I write this message with a heavy heart because we could not bring the joy to our country that we deserved."
"At the same time, I am full of pride for giving everything I have and for raising our national flag to the highest point once again!"
"Thanks to everyone who was part of this team. Thanks to the players who gave their all in representing this jersey, as they have done until the last second of every game! It is a great honor to be part of the best Argentina national team in history!"
However, FIFA is currently considering disciplinary sanctions against Argentina for the post-final chaos and for players displaying a banner supporting claims over the Falkland Islands after winning the semi-final 2-1 against England.
