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Leandro Paredes Casts Doubt on Argentina Future: “It Will Be Difficult for Me to Continue”
🇧🇴 Bolivia /Sports

Leandro Paredes Casts Doubt on Argentina Future: “It Will Be Difficult for Me to Continue”

From El Deber · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes said he is unsure whether he will continue with the national team after Lionel Messi’s resignation.
  • Paredes cited the squad’s transition and a 10-match suspension linked to an incident with Spain’s Gavi after the 2026 World Cup final.
  • He said he plans to speak with coach Lionel Scaloni before deciding, after making 84 appearances for Argentina.

Leandro Paredes has cast doubt on his future with Argentina, saying it will be difficult to continue after Lionel Messi’s departure and a major transition for the national team.

Asked about his future at Boca Juniors’ training ground, the 32-year-old midfielder replied, “It will be difficult for me to continue.” He said Messi’s absence would make it hard for the team to keep functioning in the same way.

It will be difficult for me to continue.

— Leandro ParedesParedes answered a question about whether he would remain with Argentina.

Paredes also pointed to the 10-match suspension he must serve after an incident involving Spain midfielder Gavi following Spain’s victory over Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final. He said the team had set a very high standard and that continuing to compete at that level while achieving important results would be difficult.

The standard is very high, and continuing to compete in that way and continuing to achieve important things will be difficult. I think that in these years, in this process, we managed to form an incredible group of players and people, and in that group we had our leader, Leo, and he will no longer be there.

— Leandro ParedesHe explained why Messi’s departure and Argentina’s transition raised doubts about his future.

“I think that in these years, in this process, we managed to form an incredible group of players and people, and in that group we had our leader, Leo, and he will no longer be there,” Paredes said. He has not yet spoken with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, but plans to discuss his future with him before making a decision.

Paredes debuted for Argentina in 2017 and became a key midfielder after Scaloni took charge and he performed strongly at the 2019 Copa América. He helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa América. He also played an important role in Argentina’s run to the 2026 World Cup runners-up finish in the United States, Mexico and Canada. In 84 appearances, he has scored five goals and provided seven assists.

I will speak with the coach, we will see what decision to make, but it will be difficult.

— Leandro ParedesParedes described his planned discussion with Lionel Scaloni.
About this summary

Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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