You never know what can happen when you're far from home
Después de trece temporadas forjando su nombre en el fútbol italiano, Paulo Dybala se prepara para cerrar un ciclo y abrir otro: el regreso a casa. Con su contrato en Roma venciendo en junio de 2026 y un acuerdo preliminar con Boca Juniors ya encaminado, el campeón del mundo de 32 años parece dispuesto a reunirse con su tierra, su gente y un amigo cercano. Es el arco clásico del que parte joven, conquista el mundo y vuelve con la experiencia como equipaje.
- El reloj corre: el contrato de Dybala con Roma vence el 30 de junio de 2026, dejándolo libre exactamente cuando termine el Mundial, sin margen para demoras ni negociaciones prolongadas.
- Las partes ya habrían superado los puntos más difíciles, con los términos principales acordados según el periodista Leo Paradizo, lo que convierte este movimiento en algo más que un rumor.
- Dybala mantiene cautela pública —'hoy defiendo la camiseta de Roma'— pero sus palabras dejan una puerta abierta que todos pueden ver.
- La presencia de Leandro Paredes en Boca actúa como imán emocional: la amistad forjada en Roma y la familia que se extraña son fuerzas que van más allá de lo contractual.
- Si se concreta, el regreso no sería solo un fichaje, sino un acontecimiento simbólico: uno de los grandes del fútbol argentino moderno volviendo a casa tras más de una década.
Paulo Dybala está en camino de volver a Argentina. Según informó el periodista Leo Paradizo en ESPN Argentina, el delantero de 32 años habría alcanzado un acuerdo preliminar con Boca Juniors para incorporarse al club una vez concluido el Mundial 2026. "Los detalles han sido finalizados y podemos confirmar que Paulo Dybala jugará en Boca la próxima temporada", afirmó Paradizo. El movimiento no será oficial hasta después del torneo, pero las negociaciones están muy avanzadas.
El momento es propicio: su contrato con AS Roma vence el 30 de junio de 2026, lo que lo dejará libre justo al terminar el Mundial. En su decimotercera temporada consecutiva en Italia, Dybala ha disputado 23 partidos esta temporada, con tres goles y cuatro asistencias. Llegó a Europa en 2011 desde Instituto y nunca había regresado a jugar en su país.
Cuando el periodista Joaquín Álvarez le preguntó directamente sobre Boca, Dybala respondió con cautela pero sin cerrar la puerta: "Sería genial. Uno nunca sabe. Hoy juego en Roma, tengo que defender esta camiseta, pero nunca se sabe qué puede pasar."
Uno de los mayores atractivos del regreso es la presencia de Leandro Paredes, su excompañero y amigo en Roma, quien ya se consolidó en Boca desde mediados de 2025. "Los extrañamos mucho", admitió Dybala en otra ocasión, refiriéndose a Paredes y su familia.
Campeón del mundo en 2022, Dybala volvería no como una promesa sino como una figura consagrada. Para los hinchas de Boca, sería el regreso de uno de los grandes del fútbol argentino contemporáneo. Solo resta que el Mundial concluya y los papeles se firmen para que lo que hoy es un acuerdo de palabra se convierta en realidad oficial.
Paulo Dybala is moving toward a homecoming. According to reporting from ESPN Argentina, the 32-year-old forward has reached what amounts to a preliminary agreement with Boca Juniors to join the club after the 2026 World Cup concludes. Journalist Leo Paradizo confirmed the development earlier this week, saying the major terms have already been worked out between player and club. "The remaining details have been finalized and we can confirm that Paulo Dybala will play for Boca Juniors starting next season," Paradizo said on SportsCenter. The deal won't officially take effect until after the tournament ends, but the negotiations have moved well beyond the exploratory stage.
The timing works cleanly in Dybala's favor. His contract with AS Roma expires on June 30, 2026, which means he'll be a free agent the moment the World Cup concludes. This season at Roma, he's appeared in 23 matches, scoring three goals and providing four assists. He's now in his 13th consecutive season in Italy's top division, having been developed by Instituto before moving to Europe as a young player in 2011. A return to Argentine football would mark a significant shift after more than a decade abroad.
When asked directly about the Boca possibility in an interview with Argentine journalist Joaquín Álvarez, Dybala offered a careful, noncommittal response. "It would be great. You never know," he said. "Today I play for Roma. I have to defend this shirt, but you never know what can happen." The caution is understandable—he remains under contract with the Italian club and must maintain professional focus. Yet his words leave the door unmistakably open.
One of the strongest pulls toward Boca is the presence of Leandro Paredes in the squad. The two were teammates at Roma and built a genuine friendship off the pitch. Paredes moved to Boca in mid-2025 and has already established himself as a key player. Dybala has spoken about missing Paredes and his family, saying in another moment: "It would be great. We miss them very much, but I don't know what will happen." The prospect of reuniting with a close friend in a familiar environment clearly carries weight.
Dybala arrives with substantial credentials. He was part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup championship squad, one of the most celebrated achievements in recent Argentine football history. His return to Boca would represent the homecoming of a genuine national figure—someone who built his reputation in Europe but whose roots and identity remain tied to Argentine football. For Boca's supporters, it would be a symbolic moment: one of their own returning at the height of his experience and stature.
The formal agreement still hinges on the World Cup finishing and the paperwork being completed. But all signs point toward this happening. The negotiations have advanced far enough that the major obstacles appear to have been cleared. Over the coming months, as the tournament approaches and then concludes, what now exists as a preliminary understanding should solidify into an official transfer. For Dybala, it represents a chance to close a circle—to play in front of his home crowd again, alongside a friend, after more than a decade of building his career elsewhere.
Notable Quotes
The remaining details have been finalized and we can confirm that Paulo Dybala will play for Boca Juniors starting next season.— Journalist Leo Paradizo, ESPN Argentina
It would be great. You never know. Today I play for Roma. I have to defend this shirt, but you never know what can happen.— Paulo Dybala, in interview with Joaquín Álvarez
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a player of Dybala's caliber want to leave Europe at 32, even if it's to go home?
Because home pulls differently when you've been away long enough. He's won everything in Europe—titles, trophies, a World Cup. What's left isn't more silverware; it's meaning. Playing in front of your own people, in the stadium where you grew up, that's a different kind of achievement.
But Boca isn't competing at the level Roma is. Isn't that a step down?
On paper, yes. But he's not chasing European glory anymore. He's chasing the feeling of belonging. And Paredes being there matters more than people realize—it's not just about having a friend, it's about having someone who understands the journey you've taken.
Why the careful language in his interview? Why not just say yes?
Because he's still employed by Roma. You can't go on record saying you're leaving before your contract ends. It would be disrespectful to the club paying him. The evasiveness is actually a sign of professionalism.
What happens if the World Cup doesn't go well for Argentina? Does that change anything?
Probably not. His decision seems personal, not performance-based. But a poor tournament might make him more eager to get home, to reset in familiar surroundings.
Is this the beginning of a trend—older European-based players returning to South America?
Maybe. The economics have shifted. South American leagues are more competitive now, and players are realizing that the final chapter of your career doesn't have to be in Europe. You can go home and still matter.