Spain midfielder Gavi has won praise across social media after urging FIFA not to suspend Argentina's Leandro Paredes despite the chaotic scenes that followed the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
Spain defeated Argentina to lift the World Cup trophy, but the celebrations at MetLife Stadium were overshadowed by ugly confrontations after the final whistle. Several Argentine players, including Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina, became involved in heated clashes with Spain's squad, with Gavi among the players caught in the argument.
Videos from the incident showed Gavi being pushed and knocked to the ground as tempers flared between both sets of players. The altercation eventually prompted FIFA to open an investigation into Argentina's post-match conduct, with Paredes' actions coming under particular scrutiny.
Gavi Asks FIFA Not To Suspend Leandro Paredes
Despite being one of the players targeted during the confrontation, Gavi made it clear that he does not want FIFA to hand Paredes a suspension.
Speaking to El Partidazo de COPE after returning home from the World Cup, the Barcelona midfielder defended his opponent while acknowledging that the scenes were not ideal.
"No, honestly? I don't think he should be suspended (Leandro Paredes). I understand it's not a good image for kids, but football also has that more physical, more aggressive side. The logical thing would have been to send him off during the match, and that's it."
Gavi further added, "At the end of the day, it's football, and I think it should always stay that way."
The comments quickly went viral across social media, with many fans applauding the Spain international for showing sportsmanship despite being on the receiving end of the confrontation.
FIFA Investigating Argentina After Final Whistle Chaos
Following the mass altercation after the World Cup final, FIFA launched an investigation into Argentina's conduct.
Paredes was initially believed to have been shown a straight red card by referee Slavko Vinčić after grabbing Spain defender Eric García during the post-match scenes. Given the nature of the incident, reports suggested the midfielder could face a suspension of at least three international matches.
However, FIFA later clarified that the information displayed on its commentator system had been incorrect.
According to the governing body, the red card was "incorrectly reported" on FIFA's commentator information system before being corrected shortly afterwards. FIFA confirmed the error to BBC Sport, indicating that no disciplinary action had been taken against Paredes during the match itself.
With FIFA's investigation still ongoing, the governing body will find out whether disciplinary measures will be taken for the incidents involving Paredes, Molina and other Argentina players after the final whistle.