Opinions, analysis and commentary
Argentina’s midfield survives Leandro Paredes’ ban by leaning harder on Enzo Fernandez and Exequiel Palacios, the two players closest to his defensive profile. FIFA banned Paredes for 10 matches on August 21, after he grabbed Eric Garcia by the throat and shoved Gavi following the World Cup final. Every one of his next ten fixtures is a friendly, so Scaloni loses no competitive games, only a year of settled midfield partnership. That gap is real, even if Argentina’s on-field results don’t suffer immediately this year.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee handed down a 10-match international ban on August 21, one of the harshest sanctions in World Cup history. The Boca Juniors midfielder was found guilty of grabbing Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat and pushing Gavi to the ground in the chaos after the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19.
Nahuel Molina received a seven-match ban for his part in the same incident, while Thiago Almada was suspended for one match. Paredes was also fined 90,000 dollars, a penalty that ranks alongside FIFA’s ban on Luis Suarez after the 2014 tournament.
The severity puts the punishment in rare company. Only a handful of bans in World Cup history have removed a player from international football for a full calendar year, and this one came for conduct after the final whistle rather than during play.
Paredes carries 84 international caps and started eight of Argentina’s twelve matches in 2026, playing 527 minutes across the year under Lionel Scaloni. Losing that presence removes a specialist defensive shield, though it doesn’t leave the coach short of alternatives.
| Player | Caps | Recent Form |
| Enzo Fernandez | 61 | Strong throughout the 2026 World Cup |
| Alexis Mac Allister | 66 | Liverpool mainstay, World Cup starter |
| Exequiel Palacios | 41 | 3 World Cup apps, deep screening role |
| Giovani Lo Celso | 53 | Scored vs Jordan, renewed trust |
Enzo Fernandez is the most obvious heir to the deeper role, already trusted as a dynamic ball-carrier at the base of midfield rather than a traditional holder. Mac Allister’s defensive output is elite enough that he is effectively undroppable regardless of who else is selected.
Palacios brings the closest like-for-like profile of the group, able to sit deep, screen the back line, and recycle possession the way Paredes did. Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul round out a midfield pool that is deeper than it looks from the outside.
The practical consequence stretches well past September. Argentina’s next ten fixtures run through the September and November windows and into 2027, all of them friendlies, with no competitive match scheduled until 2030 qualifying begins in September 2027.
That means Paredes misses no official competitive fixture, but Scaloni loses a full year of integration time and development windows that would otherwise suit younger players like Claudio Echeverri and Franco Mastantuono.
Scaloni has never been precious about one system. He dropped both Paredes and Lautaro Martinez after the 2022 Saudi Arabia defeat and rebuilt around Fernandez, Mac Allister and Alvarez, a pivot that worked out well. He also used four central midfielders in some 2026 knockout matches and showed a willingness to shift into a 5-3-2 under pressure.
The most likely fix now is Palacios moving into more of a holding brief, freeing Fernandez to play with a touch more license ahead of him. Alan Varela and Claudio Echeverri give Scaloni untested depth to shape a midfield for the post-World Cup cycle.
None of this is unfamiliar territory for Scaloni, who has rebuilt his midfield on the fly before major tournaments in the past without losing the results that matter most.
Argentina return for the September international window, where they’re expected to play as many as four friendlies, with two more scheduled in November. No opponents or venues have been confirmed publicly for either window. Neither window carries any competitive stakes, which gives Scaloni room to experiment without real consequence.
The World Cup 2026 Leandro Paredes ban impact is therefore more structural than competitive: Fernandez and Palacios inherit the responsibility for every one of those fixtures, and the ball-retention and set-piece composure Paredes brought in tight moments is what Scaloni has to find elsewhere.
Which midfielder do you think benefits most from Paredes’ ban, Palacios or Fernandez? Drop your take below.
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How long is Leandro Paredes banned from international football?
Paredes received a 10-match international ban from FIFA. Since Argentina has exactly 10 fixtures scheduled before June 2027, the ban effectively rules him out for a full year.
Why did FIFA suspend Leandro Paredes for 10 matches?
Paredes grabbed Eric Garcia by the throat and shoved Gavi after the final. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee also fined him 90,000 dollars for the incident at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19.
Who replaces Paredes in Argentina’s midfield?
Exequiel Palacios offers the closest defensive midfield profile. He has 41 caps and made three appearances at the 2026 tournament, while Enzo Fernandez is expected to drop deeper as well.
Were other Argentina players banned after the World Cup final brawl?
Yes, Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada were both suspended too. Molina received a seven-match ban and a 90,000 dollar fine, while Almada was suspended for a single match.
When does Argentina play its next international match?
Argentina return to action in the September 2026 window. They are expected to play up to four friendlies then, with two more fixtures scheduled for the November window.
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