Lionel Messi’s national team retirement could prompt Leandro Paredes to follow in his footsteps
Leandro Paredes hinted he could follow Lionel Messi's lead and step away from the Argentina national team, admitting a decision on his future won't be easy. Following the news of Lionel Messi’s retirement from the Argentina national team, Leandro Paredes did not rule out the possibility of stepping away as well, addressing the topic while talking to reporters ahead of Boca Juniors’ Copa Argentina clash with Velez. The Boca Juniors captain was asked directly about his own future with the Albiceleste in the wake of Messi‘s retirement announcement, and he stopped short of confirming he would continue. “It’s going to be difficult to continue, for everything I said back then, for the suspension too, for Leo’s decision. I think that with him no longer there, it’s going to be difficult for everything to keep working the same way. So it will probably be a very difficult decision,” Paredes said. The midfielder is also currently serving part of a 10-match FIFA suspension stemming from the incidents in the World Cup final against Spain. Paredes also opened up on how the team first learned of Messi’s decision, revealing the captain had discussed the possibility privately during the final days of the World Cup. Lionel Messi and Leandro Paredes during the 2026 World Cup. (Getty Images) “He had been honest with us there, when we were in the final days of the World Cup, that the final was probably going to be his last match. We obviously knew, but we weren’t prepared for that,” Paredes continued, adding that Messi’s legacy would endure regardless of what comes next for the rest of the squad. Paredes on the standard Messi’s generation leaves behind Paredes further explained that the bar set by this generation of players makes it hard to imagine matching those same standards going forward, especially without Messi in the squad. “The bar is very high. We left the bar very high, and continuing to compete that way, continuing to achieve important things, is going to be difficult,” Paredes explained. “In this process, we managed to form an incredible group of players and people, and in that group we had our leader, who was Leo. He’s not there anymore, so it’s going to be very difficult. I’ll talk with the coach, we’ll see what decision to make, but it’s going to be difficult“. Whether Paredes ultimately decides to stay or step away, his comments reflect the broader uncertainty now surrounding Argentina’s squad as it heads into a new cycle without Messi. With Scaloni still weighing his own future and several veterans reportedly reconsidering their international careers, the Albiceleste’s next chapter looks set to bring plenty of change in the months ahead.
