If you’ve been keeping up with the soccer world lately, you already know Leandro Paredes has been making waves. The Argentine midfielder played a key role in the team’s win against Switzerland. Whether he’s dictating tempo from the deep-lying playmaker role or putting his body on the line with those trademark tackles, Paredes brings a certain fire to the pitch that’s hard to ignore.

But here’s the thing: that fire didn’t come from nowhere. Behind every warrior on the field, there’s a story. And for Paredes, that story begins with his mother, Myriam Benítez, and his father, Daniel Paredes. Let’s dive into who they really are.

Who are Leandro Paredes’s parents?

Myriam Benítez and Daniel Paredes are the proud parents of the Argentine World Cup winner. Myriam, a Paraguayan native born in Asunción, moved to Argentina when she was just five months old. She worked hard to make ends meet while raising Leandro and his two sisters, Vanessa and Jimena.

Myriam has been incredibly open about their family’s struggles. In a recent appearance on Susana Giménez’s show, she openly stated, “I don’t have a husband, thank God.” She raised three kids largely on her own, working tirelessly to support Leandro’s dream. Daniel, on the other hand, had his own connection to the beautiful game; he actually played as a gritty midfielder for Cañuelas FC back in the day.

Where did Myriam Benítez and Daniel Paredes meet?

The exact details of how and where Myriam and Daniel crossed paths aren’t splashed all over the internet. 

But what we do know is that their relationship eventually ended, and Myriam raised the kids primarily on her own. But despite the separation, both parents played roles in Leandro’s early football journey. Daniel even took a young Leandro to River Plate for a trial when he was just nine years old. That didn’t work out, thanks to an emotional family intervention, but it shows Daniel was present in those formative years.

What is the ethnicity of Leandro Paredes’s parents?

This is where the Paredes family story gets really interesting. Myriam Benítez has deep Paraguayan roots flowing through his veins.

Myriam has been vocal about this heritage. “He has Paraguayan blood, his mother and father are Paraguayan, my parents, his grandparents… We have a lot of Guaraní blood,” she said in an interview. The Guaraní are the indigenous people of Paraguay, and that cultural identity runs strong in the Paredes household.

Leandro himself speaks fluent Guaraní, the indigenous language of Paraguay. His teammates in the Argentina national team even nicknamed him “el paragua” (the Paraguayan). He loves traditional Paraguayan dishes like vorí vorí (a chicken and cornmeal soup) and so’o apu’a (a meat and corn dish). So while he wears the Albiceleste jersey with pride, his heart carries the rhythm of both Argentina and Paraguay.

Inside Leandro Paredes’s Relationship with his Parents

Leandro shares an incredibly close bond with his mother, Myriam. She’s been his rock through every high and low, from the early days when money was tight to lifting the World Cup in Qatar. Myriam has spoken about how Leandro was obsessed with soccer from the moment he could walk. 

His relationship with his father, Daniel, is more complicated but not without its moments. Daniel has publicly shown immense pride in his son; he even got a tattoo of himself walking hand-in-hand with a young Leandro wearing the Boca No. 5 jersey, with the words “Siempre a tu lado” (“Always by your side”). Daniel has also been a vocal defender of his son, recently telling reporters, “Nobody moves him from here. Let the people rest easy,” when rumours swirled about Leandro leaving Boca.

Both parents, in their own ways, have influenced the man and player Leandro has become. Myriam through sacrifice and unwavering support, Daniel through shared passion and public pride.

Looking ahead, Paredes has a busy schedule on the horizon. The game against England is going to be a big one. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Leandro Paredes, it’s that he thrives when the stakes are highest. And you can bet Myriam will be in the stands, cooking up some sopa paraguaya and cheering louder than anyone, and his dad also supporting his son like the other supporters.