Paredes has become one of the most talked-about names from the World Cup final, though not for his footballing quality. The Argentina midfielder confronted Eric Garcia and Gavi as the Spanish players celebrated their victory, an incident that added to a lengthy list of ill-discipline from the Argentina squad in the closing moments of the match.
There is no justifying the confrontation, but Paredes had the opportunity to reflect and offer an apology once tempers had cooled. Instead, in a message posted on Instagram reflecting on the tournament, there was no trace of any apology directed at Spain.
"Thank you Argentina!!! I love you today and always," he wrote.
The message conveyed clear anguish, though not over having overshadowed his opponents' celebrations.
"Today it's time to write with a lot of pain in my soul for not having been able to give our country that joy it deserves so much, but with my chest full of pride for giving everything we had and flying our flag high once again," Paredes wrote.
Paredes showed no sign of wanting to row back from his actions. Instead, he used the moment to remind followers that he had been part of the best generation in Argentina's history.
"Thank you to everyone who was part of this squad, to this group of players who gave their lives to represent this shirt as they did until the very last second of every match. It was an honour to be part of the greatest Argentina squad in history," he added.
Ill-discipline from a significant part of the Argentina squad has taken up much of the post-match attention from the final. Nahuel Molina also confronted Rodri, and Lionel Scaloni's assistant coach threw a punch at Dani Olmo. FIFA is expected to review the footage and referee reports covering the unsporting conduct from the Argentina camp.
Gavi, for his part, appeared keen to move past the incident with Paredes. Speaking after the final, the Barcelona midfielder played down calls for punishment.
"I don't think they should be sanctioned. I understand it's not a good image for children, but there's that part of football... Maybe the most logical thing would have been to send him off during the match," Gavi said.
The contrast between Paredes' defiant tone and Gavi's more conciliatory response has drawn attention in the days since the final, with the Argentine's refusal to acknowledge any wrongdoing standing out against the backdrop of Spain's historic triumph.
FIFA's disciplinary process is expected to take some time given the volume of incidents under review from the final, though any sanctions handed down would arrive after the tournament has already concluded, limiting their practical impact on a squad now dispersing for the domestic close season.