Leandro Paredes questions his Argentina future after 10-match FIFA ban

Leandro Paredes has cast serious doubt over his international future with Argentina. The Boca Juniors midfielder admits that a 10-match FIFA suspension, combined with Lionel Messi's recent retirement from the national team, is pushing him to reconsider whether it makes sense to keep playing for the Albiceleste.

• Paredes was handed a 10-match international ban by FIFA after the brawl that followed the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
• He grabbed Eric Garcia by the throat, wrestled Gavi to the ground and appeared to strike him in the face.
• Messi's international retirement weighs as heavily on the decision as the suspension itself.
• Paredes has not yet spoken with head coach Lionel Scaloni about his future.

Why Paredes received a 10-match FIFA suspension

The 10-match ban came after Argentina's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Paredes played a central role in the confrontation that broke out on the pitch: he grabbed Eric Garcia by the throat, threw Gavi to the ground and then appeared to hit the young midfielder in the face. FIFA acted firmly and sidelined him for ten international matches.

What Paredes said about his Argentina future

The 32-year-old does not hide the fact that his continuity with the national team is up in the air. The uncertainty is not only about the sporting side, but also about the void left by Messi's farewell. Paredes explains it clearly: it is hard for him to imagine everything carrying on as before without Leo in the dressing room.

It's going to be difficult for me to stay with the national team. Because of the suspension and also 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 about it and see what decision I make.

How Messi's retirement shapes Paredes' decision

Messi's departure from international football has hit Argentina hard. The star stepped away from the Albiceleste at age 39, just days after losing that World Cup final to Spain. His record with the national team remains staggering: a World Cup winner in Qatar 2022, the country's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances.

Paredes shared a dressing room with Messi during that triumph in Qatar and throughout the captain's final chapter. Aware of what Leo meant to the group, the midfielder admits the captain's retirement breaks a balance that will be very difficult to restore.

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. 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.

What Argentina face without Paredes and Messi

The national team led by Lionel Scaloni is entering a delicate period. Losing Messi was already a massive blow to the team's identity. If Paredes, one of the heavyweights in midfield, also steps away, the generational transition will accelerate faster than expected. The upcoming conversation between the coach and the player will be crucial in clearing up the picture.

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