- The captain returned from the World Cup and was Boca Juniors’ standout performer against O’Higgins.
- He produced flashes of his quality and led El Xeneize to victory in the first leg of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16 play-offs.
Leandro Paredes is always there when Boca need him. Four days after playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, the captain was named in the starting line-up for Boca Juniors’ first leg of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16 play-offs.
He did so having barely trained under Rodolfo Arruabarrena, who officially took charge of the team on 18 June, two days after Argentina opened their World Cup campaign against Algeria.
Paredes, however, would play only eight minutes off the bench in the second group match against Austria. The midfielder had arrived at the tournament carrying an injury after risking his fitness to feature in the final CONMEBOL Libertadores meeting with Universidad Católica.
“Leandro arrived injured, it is as simple as that. Whenever he showed signs of being fit, he almost always played. Unfortunately, he did not arrive in good condition and made an enormous effort to be available,” head coach Lionel Scaloni admitted.
He returned in the Round of 32 against Cape Verde, coming on in the 84th minute to play the closing stages and extra time. The Boca Juniors holding midfielder shone amid Argentina’s struggles as they advanced with a hard-fought 3-2 victory. His performance earned him a place in the starting line-up for the Round of 16 meeting with Egypt.
“Leandro has been the holding midfielder in most matches and it is true that, when the ball goes through him, it is distributed well and the team feels comfortable. His more vertical passing allows us to find players further up the pitch. Leandro has those qualities and remains a fundamental player.”
Paredes played the entirety of the dramatic match against Egypt. Argentina trailed 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining before completing a remarkable late comeback through goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández. Leandro produced a decisive intervention with the scores level, recovering the ball as the last man to deny Omar Marmoush.
He retained his place for the quarter-final against Switzerland and played 110 minutes before being substituted, then started again in the 2-1 semi-final victory over England. Although he began the final against Spain on the bench, he came on at half-time to strengthen the midfield and was reduced to tears after Argentina’s narrow defeat.
Paredes returned to Argentina on Monday and immediately placed himself at the disposal of El Vasco Arruabarrena. After just a couple of training sessions, the coach named him in the starting line-up and he took to the pitch in the blue-and-gold shirt as the cornerstone of a midfield he shared with Milton Delgado.
“He is Leandro Paredes. I have no words to describe what he means to the group and the club. He made himself available and produced an outstanding performance. He is tired, which is understandable, but everyone finished the match in good condition and that is what matters,” Arruabarrena said in praise of him after the game against O’Higgins.
Wearing the No5 shirt and the captain’s armband, Paredes led Boca Juniors with his reading of the game, vision, intelligence, class and exquisite delivery. As the conductor of the Xeneize orchestra, the team’s most dangerous attacks came from his right foot. Whether using the inside or outside of his boot, he plotted the route to victory.
The only goal of the night was born from a moment of brilliance. Spotting the high defensive line, Paredes threaded a pass through to Miguel Merentiel, who found himself unmarked and with the time and space to score the decisive goal in the 1-0 victory.
Fully committed to the blue-and-gold cause, the figurehead of this 2026 Boca side was also vital defensively. Nine minutes into the second half, he made a crucial intervention against Bryan Rabello — one that echoed his sliding challenge against Egypt — as O’Higgins pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Despite carrying physical discomfort into the World Cup final against Spain, Paredes completed the full 90 minutes and expects to be ready for the return leg in Chile next Thursday.
His return to the club in July 2025 represented a significant step forward for Boca, and the academy graduate is determined to crown his commitment with a trophy.
“I wanted to make myself available to the coach and the squad, which is very important to me. So here we are. This is a competition in which we want to go all the way.”
