Fans believe Argentine soccer player Leandro Paredes is Spanish center-back Irene Paredes’ brother. Maybe because they share the same surname, the rumor gets circulated frequently despite being debunked many times.
Both athletes were born and raised in different countries.
While Irene spent her early years practicing soccer in Spanish soccer academies, Leandro honed his skills in Argentina and has never played for any Spanish clubs yet.
So, most probably, the two have never even met each other.
Born in Legazpi, Spain, Irene Paredes started her youth career at Ilintxa at 14.
After spending nearly three years playing for two more academies, she made her senior league debut for Real Sociedad in 2008.
Paredes played the next five seasons for Atletico Bilbao until she signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2016. Before her big move to France, she won her first Primera Division title with Bilbao.
On Jul8 8, 2021, she returned to Spain, signing a two-year contract with Barcelona. She won two more league titles with the club consecutively in 2022 and 2023.
Aside from that, Irene has been representing the Spanish national team in numerous international competitions since 2011.
Moreover, Irene was named into the 23-player squad of the Spanish women’s team for the 2023 World Cup.
Irene Paredes Brother: Is She Not Related To Leandro?
There has been a widespread misconception among soccer fans that Argentine defensive midfielder Leandro Paredes is Irene Paredes’ brother.
The rumor started because of their common surname, but it is completely false due to their different birthplaces and family backgrounds.
Irene was born to Laura Paredes Hernandez in Legazpi in the Basque Region of Spain and spent her entire life playing football there until she moved to France in 2016.
On the other hand, Leandro Paredes was born to his parents, Daniel and Miriam, in San Justo, Argentina. He is of Paraguayan origin through his mother’s side of the family.
Growing up in his native town, he trained at Boca Juniors and started his club career in Argentina before moving to Europe in 2014.
So, despite the two popular soccer stars sharing the same surname, they are unrelated.
Furthermore, Irene has never confirmed if she has a brother. On the other hand, Leandro is a brother to his two sisters, Jimena and Vanessa Paredes.
Irene And Her Partner Have A Son Together
The Spanish defender Irene Paredes has a son with her partner, Lucia Ybarra.
Born on December 26, 1984, Lucia Ybarra is a former Spanish field hockey player.
She comes from a prominent sports family; her great-uncle Julio Solaun played hockey at the 1964 and 1968 Olympics.
Moreover, her twin sister Rocio Ybarra is also a professional field hockey defender.
Almost seven years older than Irene, Lucia began her romantic relationship with the Spanish defender around 2015.
They lived together in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Paris, while Irene played soccer league for PSG in 2016.
After dating for a few years, the couple tied the knot in June 2021. Later in April 2021, Irene and Lucia announced they were expecting a child via their social media handles.
On September 12, 2021, Ybarra gave birth to their son, Matteo. A day later, Paredes informed her fans about the birth of their son through an Instagram post.