Leandro Paredes' Gesture Toward Enner Valencia After His Hat-Trick in Boca Juniors' Comeback Against Racing in Copa Argentina

The Boca Juniors captain and one of the Argentines at the center of controversy during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final recognized the historic achievement of Ecuadorian striker Enner Valencia.

Boca Juniors Rally Past Racing in Copa Argentina Behind Enner Valencia Hat-Trick as Leandro Paredes Gives Him Player of the Match Award

Boca Juniors completed a spectacular comeback against Racing Club to advance to the Copa Argentina semifinals. The Xeneize were trailing 2-0, but Enner Valencia came off the bench in the second half and scored all three goals to turn the game around and seal a 3-2 victory. The captain Leandro Paredes did not overlook his teammate's performance and recognized his remarkable achievement.

WHAT DID LEANDRO PAREDES DO FOR ENNER VALENCIA?

After the match, Leandro Paredes made a gesture that quickly grabbed attention. The midfielder had been named Player of the Match, but he decided to give the award to Enner Valencia, the undisputed star of Boca's comeback.

“I’m going to give it to him,” the Boca Juniors captain explained, believing the Ecuadorian striker deserved the recognition for his performance.

ENNER VALENCIA'S STUNNING PERFORMANCE SENDS BOCA JUNIORS INTO THE COPA ARGENTINA SEMIFINALS

Enner Valencia was the difference-maker against Racing Club. The Ecuadorian striker came on in the second half with Boca two goals down and completed a hat-trick in just 23 minutes, scoring three headers that completely changed the course of the match. His final goal came late in the game to complete the 3-2 comeback.

The performance was particularly meaningful for Valencia, who had faced criticism during his first few games with Boca. Before the match against Racing, he had scored just one goal in eight appearances. Against La Academia, he tripled that tally in a single night and helped Boca secure a place among the Copa Argentina's final four teams. In the semifinals, Boca Juniors will face Banfield.

The striker himself acknowledged the significance of the night, saying what happened ranks “among the best moments” of his career. He also revealed that he had gone through difficult moments since joining the club and needed time to get himself into peak physical condition.

BOCA CAPTAIN LEANDRO PAREDES RECOGNIZES ECUADORIAN SIGNING

The captain's gesture went beyond simply handing over the award. Leandro Paredes also praised Boca's collective response after falling 2-0 behind and highlighted the impact of the players who came off the bench.

The midfielder played the full 90 minutes and completed 82 of 87 attempted passes, the highest passing total of the match.

For his part, Enner Valencia publicly thanked Paredes for his decision and praised his leadership within the squad. The Ecuadorian forward highlighted how attentive the captain is to his teammates and said the gesture reflected Paredes' personality.

Both players celebrated the achievement on social media, with Valencia reposting Paredes' recognition of his performance.

In the end, a night that began with Boca Juniors trailing by two goals finished with Enner Valencia as the hero of the comeback and Leandro Paredes making sure his teammate received the recognition for his decisive performance.

THE KEY DETAILS BEHIND PAREDES' GESTURE TOWARD VALENCIA

ENNER VALENCIA WAS BOCA'S HERO: The Ecuadorian striker scored a hat-trick in 23 minutes to lead Boca Juniors to a 3-2 comeback against Racing Club and secure a place in the Copa Argentina semifinals.
LEANDRO PAREDES' GESTURE: The Boca Juniors captain was named Player of the Match but chose to give the award to Enner Valencia in recognition of his decisive performance.
BOCA REMAINS IN THE COPA ARGENTINA: The Xeneize came back from a 2-0 deficit and will now face Banfield in the semifinals of the tournament.