Former Roma man Paredes sent off for throwing punches in World Cup final chaos
Quick summary
Leandro Paredes, formerly of Roma, was shown a red card in the World Cup final after throwing punches during a chaotic moment in the match.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceLeandro Paredes was at the centre of an ugly scene after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain, with the former Roma and Juventus midfielder involved in a touchline brawl.
According to Corriere dello Sport , footage that quickly went viral showed Paredes grabbing Eric Garcia by the neck before throwing Gavi to the ground when the Barcelona man came to his teammate’s defence.
Already a losing finalist, Paredes was shown a red card after the final whistle, with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and assistant Walter Samuel stepping in to break things up.
DOHA, QATAR – DECEMBER 03: Leandro Paredes and Paulo Dybala of Argentina on the bench during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Australia at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) Gavi reveals what set Paredes off in World Cup final brawl Gavi later revealed exactly what had provoked the reaction. “I simply asked him: ‘Didn’t Infantino answer your calls this time?'” the 21-year-old 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.”
The flashpoint followed another incident, with a punch thrown by Nahuel Molina into Rodri’s side as the Spain captain passed by reportedly lighting the fuse, a chaotic coda to a night of Spanish celebration.
Leandro Paredes was sent off after the final whistle amidst ugly scenes from some of the Argentina players
Nahuel Molina also appeared to throw a punch towards one of the celebrating Spain players pic.twitter.com/LVItPtx08n
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 19, 2026
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What happened
Leandro Paredes, who previously played for Roma in Serie A, was sent off in the World Cup final for violent conduct after throwing punches at an opponent. The incident occurred during a heated and chaotic phase of the final, overshadowing what was already a dramatic match. Paredes, now playing his club football elsewhere, represented his national team in the showpiece event but his dismissal will be a lasting memory from the final.
Chance analysis
Paredes' red card is a significant disciplinary incident in the biggest match of the international calendar. Such an expulsion in a World Cup final is rare and could carry additional FIFA sanctions, including a potential ban. For prediction systems, this represents an in-match availability shift — his team was forced to play the remainder of the final with ten men, materially affecting the tactical and result probabilities from that point forward.
Paredes' national team was forced to finish the World Cup final a man down, likely reducing their chances and potentially triggering further FIFA disciplinary action against the player.
Paredes' red card shifted the match dynamics; any team-level performance data from this final should account for reduced playing strength after the dismissal.