Hours later after the final lost against Spain, a piece of information about the physical condition of one of its protagonists came to light. The central figure is Leandro Paredes, who reportedly played the last three matches of the Argentine National Teamin the2026 World Cup with a small fracture in a rib, an injury that did not come to light during the tournament and that, so far, has not been officially confirmed by Boca or the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
The information began to circulate in recent hours based on publications from media outlets close to Xeneize and was later echoed by ESPN journalist Martín Arévalo. According to that version, the midfielder would have decided to continue playing despite the injury and even would have gone through days when "he had difficulty breathing" due to the discomfort.
According to those versions, the situation would have been kept under wraps to prevent rivals from identifying the physical problem and trying to take advantage during the decisive matches of the World Cup.
Paredes would have hidden his injury so that rivals would not gain an advantage
Despite this alleged complication, Paredes was one of the players with the most participation in Lionel Scaloni's team. The midfielder had notable performances in the quarter-finals against Egypt and in the semi-final against England, while in the final against Spain he came off the bench and showed a decent level, but somewhat distant from what he had been displaying until that moment.
With the World Cup now concluded, attention is now focused on Boca. The coaching staff led by Rodolfo Arruabarrena would evaluate the physical condition of the midfielder once he returns to the country to determine when he will rejoin training.
In this context, his presence in the match this Thursday against O'Higgins, for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana playoffs, would remain under analysis. The decision would depend on the evolution of the supposed injury, the medical evaluation, and the conversation that the coach and the player would have before his return to the squad.
