Paredes: ‘If there’s no suffering, it doesn’t count’ – Argentina’s midfield general embraces the grind

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Argentina is back in the World Cup semifinals. And if you ask Leandro Paredes, that’s exactly how it should be — painful, exhausting, and utterly glorious.

The Boca Juniors midfielder spoke with ESPN Argentina after La Albiceleste’s grueling 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night, and his message was unmistakable: this team was built to suffer.

“As I always say, if there’s no suffering, it doesn’t count,” Paredes declared. “We are doing something incredible. Another World Cup semifinal is a tremendous source of pride. It’s a joy, day after day, to be part of this national team, to do what we do. I hope the people are very happy”.

The numbers back up his sentiment. Argentina has now played three consecutive knockout matches that went beyond regulation time — a round-of-16 battle against Egypt, a quarter-final survival against Cape Verde, and now this Swiss slugfest.

A Victory Forged in Extra Time

For 67 minutes, it looked like Argentina might finally enjoy a straightforward night. Alexis Mac Allister had opened the scoring from a Lionel Messi corner kick, and the reigning world champions appeared in control.

Then came the equalizer. Dan Ndoye’s 67th-minute strike leveled the match at 1-1, and suddenly the familiar Argentine anxiety returned.

The turning point arrived minutes later. Paredes was initially shown a yellow card for a tackle on Breel Embolo, but VAR intervened. The replay showed Embolo had already begun falling before contact. The referee overturned the decision, and because Embolo had been booked earlier, the Swiss forward was sent off. Switzerland was reduced to ten men for the remainder of the contest.

Even with the numerical advantage, Argentina couldn’t find a winner in regular time. It took until the 112th minute — deep into extra time — for Julián Álvarez to unleash a long-range strike that broke Swiss hearts. Lautaro Martínez added a third moments later to seal the result.

‘I Finished With Cramps, Nothing Serious’

Paredes, one of Argentina’s most influential performers throughout the tournament, was forced off in the 110th minute — just two minutes before Álvarez’s decisive goal. The sight of the midfielder leaving the field sent a ripple of concern through the Argentine camp.

But Paredes was quick to reassure fans.

“I’m fine,” he said after the match. “I got cramps in one of the last plays, but I finished well”. Manager Lionel Scaloni had previously described Paredes as “fundamental” to the team’s structure, noting that “when the ball passes through him, it’s distributed well” and that he brings “a much more vertical pass” to Argentina’s play.

Paredes had arrived at the World Cup on limited fitness after a hamstring injury suffered with Boca Juniors in the first half of the year. His recovery and return to the starting lineup has been one of the stories of Argentina’s campaign.

A Semifinal ‘Every Kid Dreams Of’

With England having defeated Norway 2-1 earlier in the day, the stage is now set for a blockbuster semifinal clash on Wednesday at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Paredes made no secret of what this fixture means.

“A match is coming up that every kid dreams of playing,” he said. “Playing in a World Cup and facing England — that’s always been in my head. I’ve dreamed of this match my whole life. It’s going to be very difficult”.

The midfielder also addressed the historical weight of the fixture, acknowledging the Falklands/Malvinas legacy that still lingers in the Argentine consciousness.

“We always had it in our heads to play a World Cup against England,” he said. “It will be very difficult, but it’s a match we’ve always dreamed of”.

One Game at a Time

Despite the magnitude of what lies ahead, Paredes insisted the squad had not looked past Switzerland.

“We were thinking first about this match,” he explained. “Obviously we knew [about England], but we were only thinking about today’s game, which we knew would be very difficult”.

His message to the Argentine supporters was clear and defiant.

“Keep believing and keep supporting us,” Paredes said. “There’s a group of people here who will leave their lives on the pitch”.

The Road Ahead

Argentina now stands two wins away from back-to-back World Cup titles. On the other side of the bracket, France and Spain will determine the other finalist on Tuesday.

For Paredes and his teammates, the suffering continues. And that’s exactly how they want it.

“We try to show from day one, so that the people feel identified with the national team,” he said. “And we’ve achieved that.”