Lionel Messi’s retirement may be the beginning of a wider breakup within Argentina’s successful generation. Midfielder Leandro Paredes has publicly questioned whether he will continue playing for his country after losing the captain who defined the team.
The 32-year-old Boca Juniors midfielder is also facing a lengthy suspension following the incidents after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain. Together, those two factors have left him seriously considering his international future.
Paredes considers walking away
According to TyC Sports’ report on Paredes’ comments, the midfielder said: “It will be difficult for me to continue with the national team.”
Paredes explained that Messi’s decision, his suspension and previous comments about his own future had all changed the situation. He has not yet discussed retirement with Lionel Scaloni, meaning no final decision has been made.
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The midfielder revealed that members of the squad had spoken during the closing days of the World Cup about the possibility that the final would be Messi’s last match. Even so, Paredes admitted that the players were not emotionally prepared for the announcement.
FIFA punishment changes everything
Paredes’ uncertainty cannot be separated from the severe punishment he received after the final. According to FIFA’s official disciplinary announcement, he was suspended for ten international matches and fined $90,000.
The punishment applies to national-team matches and does not affect his availability for Boca Juniors. However, it could remove him from Argentina’s plans for a significant part of the next international cycle.
AFA has challenged the severity of the disciplinary measures, but Paredes could still face a long absence even if the punishment is reduced. At 32, he must decide whether returning after the suspension is worth extending his international career.
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Argentina risk losing another leader
Paredes was one of Messi’s closest teammates and an important member of the side that won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América. His influence extended beyond his position in midfield because he belonged to the experienced group that established Argentina’s dressing-room culture under Scaloni.
Messi’s departure removes the central figure from that structure. If Paredes also leaves, Argentina would lose another senior player before the rebuilding process has properly begun.
The midfielder has stressed that Messi’s legacy will remain because he never surrendered, even during the most difficult periods of his international career. Yet Paredes also acknowledged that it will be difficult for the team to continue functioning in exactly the same way.
His decision will follow a conversation with Scaloni. Until then, Messi’s retirement has left Argentina waiting to discover whether one farewell will soon be followed by another.
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