Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes dropped a retirement bombshell days after the FIFA World Cup final, where Argentina suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain. Paredes, 32, said that maintaining the standard required to compete at the international level might be difficult for him, hinting that he may have played his last game for Argentina.
Leandro Paredes triggered a massive controversy after he grabbed Spain’s Eric Garcia by the neck and pushed over Gavi after the final whistle, facing massive outrage for poor sportsmanship.
“For many, it will be the time to decide if to continue. It was a great journey. Maintaining that level – getting the group to continue to function as it has – will be very difficult, and there are many factors to consider,” he told ESPN.
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“Decisions must be taken calmly. I don’t know yet if I’m ready to continue. It’s a process that takes time to assimilate and mature.”
Paredes said that losing the FIFA World Cup final will stay with the team for a long time, but he was happy with the support the team got during the run to the final.
“It will take time to digest what we’ve been through. The pain of losing the World Cup final will stay with us for a long time, because we came so close once again. I think we played in a World Cup where people saw themselves in us, and that’s very rewarding. In that sense, I’m happy,” he said.
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Nicolas Otamendi Retires
Meanwhile, Nicolas Otamendi, who was involved in a tense exchange with Spain captain Rodri after the final, also confirmed his retirement earlier in the day, saying that he bids adieu to the sport ‘head held high’ and with ‘peace of mind’. Otamendi had branded Rodri an ‘idiot’ after the game.
‘Today I have to write the most difficult words of my entire career,’ he wrote on Instagram.
‘From a very young age, I dreamed of wearing the Argentine national team jersey; it was the greatest privilege football has given me. I defended it with my soul, with pride, and with the responsibility of knowing what it means to millions of Argentinians.
“Fate decreed that my last match would be a World Cup final. It wasn’t the result we wanted, but I leave with my head held high, knowing that this group tried until the very last second.
“I say goodbye with the peace of mind of having given everything. I never held back an ounce of effort, I never stopped believing, and I never stopped feeling this jersey as the greatest honour of my life.
“Thank you to the Argentine fans. Thank you for your unconditional love, for every flag, for every song, for being with us in the good times and, above all, in the most difficult. You made us feel, every time the anthem played, that we weren’t just eleven players, but millions defending the same dream.
“Thank you to my family. They were my refuge in every fall and my strength in every challenge. They endured the distances, the absences, the tears, and the frustrations. I never walked this path alone; we took every step together.
“And to those who still wear this jersey today, I want to say something from the bottom of my heart: never stop believing. There will be blows that seem impossible to overcome, but this jersey always rewards those who defend it with humility, sacrifice, and love. Hold your heads high, keep fighting, and don’t let a defeat steal your hope. I am convinced that the next chapter of our story will be yours.
“Today I say goodbye to the Argentine national team, but with immense pride for having represented my country. Because titles remain in history, but the love for these colours lasts a lifetime.
“Thank you, Argentina. Thank you for letting me fulfil the dream of being a world champion and wearing the most beautiful jersey in the world.”
The Argentina squad will undergo a significant shake-up in future. Apart from Paredes and Otamendi, Lionel Scaloni is also uncertain about his future, while Messi, even though he has not confirmed his retirement yet, won’t hang around for long either.