Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes was shown a red card for violent conduct following the final whistle of the World Cup final, after an ugly touchline brawl marred the conclusion of his country’s defeat to Spain.
The former Roma and Juventus player was at the centre of the disturbance, which erupted immediately after the match concluded. Footage showed Paredes grabbing Spain defender Eric Garcia by the neck before throwing Barcelona midfielder Gavi to the ground when the 21-year-old attempted to intervene on his teammate’s behalf.
Argentina’s coaching staff were forced to step in to break up the melee, with head coach Lionel Scaloni and assistant Walter Samuel physically separating the players as the situation threatened to escalate further. Despite their intervention, the match officials issued Paredes a red card for his actions.
Gavi reveals provocation
The Barcelona midfielder later explained the comment that sparked the violent reaction. “I simply asked him: ‘Didn’t Infantino answer your calls this time?'” Gavi told Spanish media. “The moment I said it, he completely lost his head. He didn’t even let me finish. What did I want to tell him? That football has finally beaten corruption.”
Further violent incidents
Paredes was not the only Argentina player involved in the post-match chaos. Footage also appeared to show defender Nahuel Molina throwing a punch towards Spain captain Rodri as he passed by the confrontation, an incident which reportedly helped ignite the wider disturbance.
The dismissals overshadowed Spain’s World Cup victory celebrations and leave the Argentina squad facing potential suspensions for the players involved, capping a bitter end to their final campaign.