Pablo Gavi has not accused Argentina of corruption nor has he made public statements regarding the altercation with Leandro Paredes after the 2026 World Cup final. The alleged quote that has gone viral on social media is false and was fabricated by a satirical account, according to a fact-check released on Monday by Verificat and shared by La Vanguardia.
The widely shared rumor on X attributed these words to the Spanish midfielder directed at Paredes in a supposed interview: "Did Infantino not answer your calls this time?" ending with the phrase "football has finally triumphed over corruption."
However, Verificat verified that the original post came from an account identified as a parody. In fact, its own biography warns: "Fiction and satire of football, don't believe anything."
The image used to create an appearance of authenticity did not correspond to a press conference after the final. It was a screenshot from a video published by Diario AS on June 29, in which Gavi answered questions about the Spanish national team without making any reference to corruption, bribery, or the Argentine national team.
Gavi's only message was one of celebration
Far from fueling controversy, the Spanish international dedicated an emotional message on his social media this Monday to celebrate the world title and reflect on the journey that brought him to the pinnacle of football.
"Let no one wake me from this dream, that of a child from Los Palacios who dreams of winning the World Cup with his country while playing in the town square, and now, at 21 years old, fulfilling it in New York, with a group of legends that will go down in history and remain forever in everyone's memory," he wrote.
The football player also recalled the challenging years marked by injuries and expressed gratitude for the support from those around him.
"My story is one of having a tough time over the past few years due to injuries, but thanks to my loved ones, my family, friends, and all the work and sacrifice made to get to this point, today I can say it has all been worth it, and I would go through it all again and more," he expressed.
In his post, he also expressed gratitude to his family, Real Betis, La Masia, and the coaches who shaped his career, as well as dedicating the victory to his late grandmother: "I’m sure you’ve been helping me from up there."
Silence about the altercation
So far, neither Gavi, nor Eric García, nor Leandro Paredes have made public statements regarding the incident that occurred after the final whistle at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Spanish coach, Luis de la Fuente, also did not mention the episode during his post-match appearance.
The images of the encounter do indeed show Paredes grabbing Eric García by the neck and pushing Gavi when he tried to intervene in the discussion, actions for which Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić issued a red card once the match concluded, a decision provided for by IFAB regulations while the official remains on the field.
About the origin of the brawl, there are contradictory accounts. Marca reported that it all started with a punch from the Argentine Nahuel Molina to the Spanish Rodri, although none of the players involved have confirmed that version of events.
Spain claimed its second world title by defeating Argentina 1-0 with a goal from Ferran Torres in the 106th minute of extra time. While speculation continues about what happened after the match, Verificat's verification makes it clear that the alleged accusations by Gavi against Argentina never existed and are part of misinformation spread from a satire account.
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