US club Inter Miami announced on Thursday the signing of Paraguayan midfielder Matias Gallardo from Argentina's River Plate on loan until the end of the 2026 season, with an option to buy.
The 24-year-old joins forces with Argentine star Lionel Messi.
Gallardo was one of the players who most angered French fans during the round-of-16 clash between Paraguay and France at the 2026 World Cup, which Les Bleus won 1-0.
According to France's "Monte Carlo" network, Gallardo deliberately provoked and clashed with the France players in an attempt to distract Kylian Mbappe and his teammates.
Newspaper "L'Equipe" documented several flashpoints involving the player, including an elbow on Mbappe and a clash with Jules Kounde, on top of an altercation with Michael Olise.
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Gallardo's tournament with Paraguay was about far more than the physical and provocative side. He was one of his country's most prominent players in the first round.
His decisive strike sank Turkey 1-0, and he added an assist along the way as Paraguay carved their path to the round of 16. In total, Gallardo has played 19 internationals for Paraguay, scoring four goals and providing two assists, according to "Opta" data.
The move to Inter Miami follows a turbulent spell at River Plate. Gallardo joined the Argentine club in July 2025 from Talleres, having previously played in Brazil with Vasco da Gama and Coritiba. He began his career in the ranks of Paraguay's Olimpia.
Regular starts never came at River. He appeared in just 14 matches without a goal or an assist before River loaned him to Atlanta United in February 2026. There he made a bright start, catching the eye with his versatility across midfield, before returning to River Plate at the end of the loan.
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