Lamine Yamal took a playful dig at Leandro Paredes during Spain's World Cup victory parade in Madrid, holding a sign that jokingly referenced the Argentina midfielder's physical clash with Gavi at the end of the 2026 final. The Barcelona winger, clearly enjoying the moment, smiled as he acknowledged the poster reading "Velada del ano VII: Paredes vs Gavi"—a comedic reference to a celebrity boxing event.
The chaotic scenes in New Jersey had painted a far different picture just 24 hours earlier. Spain's 1-0 triumph descended into ugly confrontations, with Paredes at the centre of the turmoil. The Boca Juniors midfielder was captured grabbing Eric Garcia by the throat before shoving Gavi to the ground, earning himself a red card. Despite the damning visual evidence, Paredes later defended Argentina's conduct, claiming his team had simply competed with pride under difficult circumstances.
Defiant Responses from Argentina
The midfielder wasn't alone in his defensive stance. Enzo Fernandez also pushed back against criticism, emphasizing that the group had represented their nation with honour and commitment. Both players framed their aggressive approach as a consequence of desperation rather than poor sportsmanship, insisting they had given everything until the final whistle.
Their explanations failed to convince football's biggest names. Wayne Rooney, the Manchester United legend, was scathing in his assessment, labelling Argentina's tactics as typical desperation and specifically criticising Lionel Messi's attempts to influence the referee. Micah Richards, the former Manchester City defender, went further, calling the post-match brawls "embarrassing" on such a grand stage.
A Parade Filled with Celebration
Yamal's light-hearted sign was emblematic of Spain's triumphant mood as two million fans lined Madrid's streets. The 19-year-old winger was visibly in high spirits throughout the open-top bus parade, even taking the microphone to sing Bad Bunny songs alongside his teammate Nico Williams. His playful jab at Paredes highlighted the stark contrast between Spain's composure in victory and Argentina's emotional turmoil following defeat—a telling snapshot of how the tournament's climax had unfolded across two very different teams.
