Synopsis
A three-month feud between Messi and Paredes shows that even successful football teammates may have disagreements.
Due to a miscommunication after a 2021 Champions League game, Messi ignored Paredes.
Paredes and Messi have made up, played together at PSG, won championships, and still have a future together on the international scene despite their previous conflicts.
It’s simple to believe that all football teammates are friendly. After all, the beautiful game depends on unity to succeed, and without it, teams like Real Madrid and Brazil would not have reached their current level of success. But you only need to speak with Leandro Paredes once to realise that even the most successful teammates don’t always agree.
The Roma defensive midfielder was a member of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning team, which from the outside seemed to be a harmonious one as they assisted Lionel Messi in becoming a football legend. Paredes has disclosed that, although that was mostly accurate, he was once given the cold shoulder by the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner after a Champions League match in 2021.
Messi rarely lets his emotions control his behaviour on the game and is renowned for his reserved, introverted manner. His ability to move fluidly between positions with composure and control is a reflection of his playing style. But as evidenced by his fallout with Paredes, even the calmest players can become ferocious when pressed.
Lionel Messi’s Three-Month Feud with Leandro Paredes
The Roma star was given radio silence from the icon over a misunderstanding
Paredes reportedly whispered something to a teammate during PSG’s elegant 4-1 Champions League Round of 16 victory over Barcelona in 2021, which Messi reportedly overheard and believed to be about him. Paredes tried to explain the problem, but Messi wouldn’t speak to him.
According to The Mirror, Paredes told Infobae, “I had a terrible time, we spent about three months without speaking.” “I replied to him the following day and fifteen days later, saying, ‘It wasn’t for you, it wasn’t to offend.'”
“And he made no answer. He didn’t respond for three months. They hadn’t spoken for three months. “Now I have to see how he reacts,” I thought.
“But no, a phenomenon, a phenomenon,” he added, “since we got at the location on the same day. He showed up in my room when I got there a little early. I had my teeth brushed. ‘What are you doing up so early?’ he asked, throwing water at me at the hour.
Messi “wanted to kill me” because of the event, according to Paredes, who also stated that the two now “talk about it and laugh.” In 2022, he told Caja Negra: “He became irate after I said something to my teammates and he heard me.
“He got quite upset. He screwed me over. It wasn’t good. I wanted to return home, and he wanted to kill me. He pretended nothing had happened when I later saw him playing for the national team.
“He demonstrated to me his character. The relationship remained unchanged. He was furious at the time and wanted to murder me, but now that the topic is up, we discuss it and joke about it.
The On-Field Relationship Between Paredes and Messi Given that
Soon after the altercation, the two Argentinians would work together at PSG.
After a three-month feud, it’s safe to conclude that the Argentine pair has long since moved on. Leandro Paredes strongly pushed his colleague to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, the same year that tensions between them started to rise. This move became a reality when Lionel Messi left Barcelona at the end of the 2020–21 season after his contract expired.
Paredes on Messi at PSG:
"It’s natural that we all want Messi in our team. But these are decisions that belong to the club, Leonardo and our president to convince him to come to us." 🤞 pic.twitter.com/YpBg0RTzsZ
— GOAL (@goal) January 21, 2021
The pair won two Ligue 1 championships together in the French capital before Messi went to Inter Miami and Paredes returned to Roma in 2023. They have shared the pitch with Argentina and PSG 70 times during their careers.
The statistics of Lionel Messi and Leandro Paredes when they play together
Games
70
Minutes
3,735
Participation in joint goals
4.
Points for each match
2.29
Paredes, who has played with Messi for almost 3,800 minutes and contributed to four goals together, is one of only six players who have played with him more frequently. Given that neither player has announced their intention to retire from international competition and that the 2026 World Cup is approaching, that figure may increase in the coming months.
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