Pablo Gavi

Barcelona midfielder Pablo Martín Páez Gavira, known as GAVI, came to Eric García's defence in the confrontation that followed Spain's 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final on 19 July. When Argentina's Leandro Paredes grabbed García by the neck after the final whistle, GAVI intervened and was struck in the face and pushed to the ground before Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni separated the players and Paredes was sent off.

Born 5 August 2004 in Los Palacios y Villafranca, Sevilla, GAVI joined Barcelona's academy at 11 and made his first-team debut aged 17 on 29 August 2021 against Getafe. He became the youngest player to score for Spain's senior side on 5 June 2022 and, at the Qatar World Cup, the third-youngest World Cup goalscorer in history after Pele and Manuel Rosas, scoring against Costa Rica on 23 November 2022. A serious ACL and meniscus injury on 19 November 2023, sustained in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Georgia, ruled him out of Euro 2024 and the Paris 2024 Olympics; he returned to action 348 days later, on 20 October 2024 against Sevilla. He has since won three La Liga titles and the 2023 UEFA Nations League, and carries 32 Spain caps as of 2 July 2026.

The 2026 World Cup completes the arc from career-threatening injury to lifting the trophy, and the final's flashpoint underlined a reputation, since his teenage breakthrough, for combative instincts on the pitch.