Leandro Paredes⁰¹

Gavi and Paredes were exes. Now Paredes was with a girl and they both tried to pretend that their story was over.

Before the final, the two were interviewed separately.

—Any message for the other team before the game?

Paredes smiled slightly.

—He should worry about playing, not about me. Today he should be focused on what's in front of him.

When Gavi was asked the same question, she gave almost the same answer:

—He should focus on the final. Because afterwards he might regret not having done so.

It seemed like a simple hint, but they both knew perfectly well what they were talking about.

The final started with tension from the first minute. Gavi and Paredes kept crossing paths, avoiding looking at each other too much.

Until Argentina started losing.

With the score against them and time running out, Paredes was growing increasingly frustrated. Gavi walked past him after a play.

"I told you to concentrate," Gavi murmured.
Paredes turned around immediately.

—What did you say?

—That's what happens when you're focused on other things.

Paredes lost his temper.

—Shut up, Gavi.

—What? Does it hurt that I'm right?

He pushed him hard and Gavi fell to the grass.

The referee immediately blew his whistle as several players ran towards them.

Gavi got up furiously and pushed him back.

—Don't ever touch me again.

"Shut up already!" Paredes shouted at him.

The two ended up grabbing each other and had to be forcibly separated.

After the match, the locker room was completely silent. Paredes' teammates tried to calm him down while others discussed what had happened.
"You went too far, idiot," one of them said.

He did not answer, still breathing heavily.

On the other side of the locker room, Gavi was sitting while a teammate asked him if he was okay.

—Yes. Just leave me alone.

Nobody knew exactly what had happened between them, but everyone could tell that it went far beyond a simple argument.