(Online sources are listed by number [thus], while printed or academic sources are referenced using the Harvard system, with links given.)
Leandro Daniel Paredes Benítez is an Argentine footballer currently playing on loan at Juventus football club from Paris Saint-Germain. In his career he has won club-level trophies in three different countries as well as winning major titles, including the FIFA World Cup, with the Argentine national team. Despite his glittering trophy cabinet[1], in his time at Juventus he has been truly awful in all regards.
However, this essay will not be primarily concerning his football achievements. On the 22nd of March 2023 I made a post on the Juventuz.com football forum [2] assessing whom in the current Juventus FC squad I believe to be 'bottoms' and whom to be 'tops'. One user in particular, a deutscher Mann who goes by the screenname "DAiDEVIL", challenged my characterisation of Paredes as a top, stating his assessment of Paredes as being "Tough acting, but an absolute pussy."[3] sufficient to consider him a bottom. In this same post he challenged me to explain my thinking in arriving to the above conclusion.
In this essay I will define these terms, and defend my analysis that Paredes is a top.
--- --- ---
Let us begin by defining these terms, where they came from and what they mean. To quote the abstract to a 2015 study (Zheng, Hart, Zheng):
We see here that the terms 'top' and 'bottom' originated so as to indicate which member of a gay male couple prefers to penetrate during anal sex, and which prefers to be penetrated. The term "versatile" used in this study I believe is more commonly referred to as a 'switch' in western parlance, but this is not very relevant to this essay.
Due to heteronormative gender roles and sex practices, it would be common for the partner performing the penetrating to be seen as the 'most masculine', and the partner receiving the penetration to be considered to be the more feminine. This is backed up by a 2016 study (Reilly), the abstract of which contains the following:
Though it would appear from the abstract (the full text is unavailable) that this study is written from the point of view of analysing how societal expectations and pressures run far deeper than sexual orientation, for my purposes in writing this essay I will be using it to support my assertion that traditionally feminine characteristics can be seen as indications of bottom behaviour, and masculine characteristics be indications of a top. This is also backed up by Zheng, Hart & Zheng, writing in 2016:
The next step is for us to establish what exactly can these ideas of masculine and feminine behaviour can be taken to mean. It has been noted (Itulua-Abumere, 2013) that in recent years presuppositions about gender and gender roles have been called into question as part of a redefinition of many aspects of human society. However, it is still possible to identify several traits which are thusly associated. These include labour income and protective instincts (Patnaik, 2021), aggressiveness, dominance, competitiveness, worldliness and self-confidence (Franklin, 2012). I will take these particular points and show how Paredes' behaviour and history fit with them.
--- --- ---
Firstly labour income. It must be acknowledged that the industry within which Paredes works is one known for impossibly high salaries for professional players. However, even within this sport he can be considered very well-paid. According to the PFSA website[4], the average wage for a footballer in the Premier League (the league with the highest average salary) was cited as "more than 3 million [pounds sterling] a year"- equivalent to 3.4 million euros. By comparison, Serie A- the league in which Paredes currently plays for Juventus- the average salary is cited[5] (last year, by judging by the players listed) at 1.8 million euros.
In a wider global economic context these are silly numbers. The type of salaries most can even dream of. And yet Leandro Paredes is not only being paid so highly by simple virtue of working within the football industry, but can be considered a high earner even within his field. According to capology.com[6], his gross annual salary is almost 9 million euros plus bonuses- more than four times the average in Serie A. For a 28-year old man to be bringing home this level of income can only be considered him ticking the box of 'high earner' on the masculinity checklist. All the more so when we consider that his status in the squad [6] is that of a reserve. Only a truly masculine man could be this overpaid.
Another point on our list is that of 'dominance'. This is a little harder to evidence, but we shall endeavour regardless. After considering how best to illustrate this element of Paredes' character, and considering I basically don't know anything about him and don't remember hearing his name before Juve approached him, I feel it shows through most strongly in his having succeeded in making it as a professional footballer.
The World Population Review estimates[7] that there are 250 million people playing football worldwide, while only 130 thousand professionals[8]. It can be presumed that of those 250 million, most of them would like to have the opportunity to play professionally due to the high salaries previously discussed as well as the desire to make one's living from one's hobbies. So why are 99.9% playing football at an amateur level? The fact is that they simply didn't make the cut, which would likely be often put down as a lack of talent- but what does that truly mean?
When it comes to physical activity, one can assume that physical attributes account for a sizeable portion of what could be considered the requisite 'talent' for becoming a professional athlete. However, as noted by Jowett and Spray (2013), success in athletics has far more to do with inherent mental characteristics of the athlete. Taking this into consideration, it must be concluded that Paredes was able to dominate his cohorts all the way through his journey in football- from his first baby fútbol teams in San Justo[9], through to the Boca Juniors academy and eventually all the way to being chosen for the FIFA World Cup 2022. This cannot be considered anything other than a dominant, therefore masculine and therefore top mindset.
This overlaps significantly with another attribute on our list, which is competitiveness. A recent event does well to illustrate the strength of this in Paredes' character. He was recently involved in an incident at a team Easter lunch for Juventus players[10], staff and their families. His outburst stemmed from what he perceived to be a lack of playing time afforded to him by the coach Allegri. This, he feels, is unwarranted. He clearly feels he has been doing enough in training to convince the Mister that he deserves more playing time.
This can be traced back to what I believe is the fundamental building block in a competitive spirit: the belief that from hard work comes results. This is something which has been proven to Paredes through his entire career, and it can only have frustrated him that this has not been the case during his time at Juventus. It is easy to see also how this indicates supreme self-confidence in his psyche: that he believes in himself and believes he has done enough to warrant more from Allegri, in spite of all objective evidence to the contrary; that he has been absolutely useless when given minutes. As noted by One Football[10], Paredes' storming out of the event caused quite a stir, as did his lashing out at Polish teammate Wojciech Szczesny in training. Both of these are indicators of something that has been a constant part of Paredes' football career: his aggressiveness.
According to Transfermark[11], Paredes has missed a total of 16 games in his professional career due to suspensions. This comes as part of his nature as an uncompromising tackler on the pitch who is unafraid to be physically imposing when winning the ball back [12], [13], [14]. While being so aggressive in defence it is inevitable that a player will accumulate cards and at times anger opposition players. However, it should be noted that Paredes is anything but an innocent victim in accusations of his hot-headedness. The aforementioned Easter incident and the one during training are evidence of this, but other examples on the pitch have happened and show not only Paredes' aggression but his instincts to protect his group.
The first incident took place during the 2022 World Cup in a match between Argentina and The Netherlands. In this tense game emotions were running high. There was a backdrop of Netherlands coach Van Gaal historically antagonising Argentinian players; from Juan Román Riquelme to Ángel Di María to Leo Messi[15]. Regardless of how it started, these tensions resulted in a game which at times was very scrappy. There were lots of fierce tackles, pushing and shoving and taunting going both ways. At 67 minutes[16] Paredes entered this atmosphere with a clear mission: physically enforce himself onto the game and defend his countrymen. This is precisely what he did [17], and given the result one could conclude that he was right to do so- not that that comes into it; he was acting on his instincts, instincts which I have shown to be indicative of a top rather than a bottom.
My second example of his protectiveness is from earlier this year, in a game between Juventus and Inter. As should be expected in a high-profile derby game, tensions were similarly high. Paredes once again entered as a substitute in the 83rd minute [18], well after the tense and hostile atmosphere had had time to develop. Similar to the previous example, Paredes understood his role: to antagonise and to defend. This he once again accomplished, and even after the final whistle, he was key in getting Inter player Danilo D'Ambrosio was sent off[19]. It's clear from a longer bit of footage [20] that this was deliberate from Paredes, and that it was also subconscious and he could not help but get emotionally involved in the fracas. In other words he has the natural instinct to protect- a characteristic which was established earlier as masculine, and therefore indicative of a top.
The final item on our list is that of worldliness. This is defined by Merriam-Webster[21] as 'relating to, or devoted to this world and its pursuits rather than to religion or spiritual affairs; possessing or displaying significant experience and knowledge about life and the world'.
On the first definition, Paredes' attention to detail when it comes to his appearance, his evidently lavish lifestyle [22] show his devotion to the material side of life. As for religion, Sportmob notes [23]
Hardly a Padre Pio.
As for the second dictionary definition given, we must consider that Paredes has lived in Argentina, Russia, Italy and France. In an interview with La Nación, in 2018[24] when asked about his life in Russia (he was still living there then), Paredes replied:
It should be noted that Paredes speaks more than one language. Besides Spanish, he also speaks Guaraní [25], some French [26] and also Italian [27]. Combining this knowledge of languages with the experiences he has had of living in and travelling to different countries, to experience different cultures on top of the opportunities he has had through his career to meet people from around the world, it would be a fair assessment to conclude that he is a worldly man in the second sense, too.
--- --- ---
In conclusion, I have demonstrated that Leandro Paredes is a high earner even within his field, his character is to be dominant, competitive, aggressive, protective and self-confident; and that his experiences in life qualify him as 'worldly'.
I have demonstrated that these characteristics are considered to be traditionally masculine, and that such masculine traits are often predictably correlated with somebody who would be expected to be a top in his boudoir.
Therefore I conclude that Leandro Daniel Paredes Benítez is a top and not a bottom.
--- --- ---
References and sources
Online
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leandro_Paredes#Honours
[2]https://www.juventuz.com/threads/nicolò-fagioli.43675/page-158#post-6655918
[3]https://www.juventuz.com/threads/nicolò-fagioli.43675/page-159#post-6656022
[4]https://thepfsa.co.uk/football-wages-how-much-do-footballers-get-paid/
[5]https://sqaf.club/how-much-do-serie-a-players-earn/
[6]https://www.capology.com/club/juventus/salaries/
[7]https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-popular-sport-by-country
[8]https://www.statista.com/statistics/1283927/number-pro-soccer-players-by-country/
[9]https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leandro_Paredes#Primeros_años
[10]https://onefootball.com/en/news/fru...n-locker-room-and-skips-easter-lunch-37174590
[11]https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leandro-paredes/ausfaelle/spieler/166237
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/footbal...argentinas-win-against-the-netherlands-370297
[16]https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/255711/285074/400128139
[17]
[18]https://www.google.com/search?q=juv...F-8#sie=m;/g/11s3spr2f7;2;/m/03zv9;tl;fp;1;;;
[19]
[20]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ci0v_LyRK6g
[21]https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worldly
[22]https://www.instagram.com/leoparedes_official/?hl=en
[23]https://sportmob.com/en/article/944442-leandro-paredes-biography
[24]https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deporte...en-esperar-los-hinchas-argentinos-nid2128633/
[25]https://d10.ultimahora.com/leandro-paredes-un-campeon-america-sangre-guarani-n2951787.html
[26]https://bolavip.com/europa/Video-la...-hacerlo-hablar-en-frances-20210414-0008.html
[27]
Printed/academic
(Franklin, 2012) The Changing Definition of Masculinity
https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl...I1d&sig=83T_UdmFyDqnmVKMi0zt9j-fA-o#v=onepage
(Itulua-Abumere, 2013) Understanding Men and Masculinity in Modern Society
https://www.researchgate.net/public...tanding_Men_and_Masculinity_in_Modern_Society
(Jowett & Spray, 2013) British Olympic Hopefuls: The antecedents and consequences of implicit ability beliefs in elite track and field athletes
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-02134-004
(Patnaik, 2021) Understanding Masculinity: An Alaysis of the Expression of Masculinity Across Various Intersections
https://www.researchgate.net/public...n_of_Masculinity_Across_Various_Intersections
(Reilly, 2016) Top or Bottom: A position Paper
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291555045_Top_or_bottom_a_position_paper
(Zheng, Hart, Zheng; 2015)Top/Bottom Sexual Self-labels and Empathizing-Systemizing Cognitive Styles Among Gay Men in China
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25663239/
Leandro Daniel Paredes Benítez is an Argentine footballer currently playing on loan at Juventus football club from Paris Saint-Germain. In his career he has won club-level trophies in three different countries as well as winning major titles, including the FIFA World Cup, with the Argentine national team. Despite his glittering trophy cabinet[1], in his time at Juventus he has been truly awful in all regards.
However, this essay will not be primarily concerning his football achievements. On the 22nd of March 2023 I made a post on the Juventuz.com football forum [2] assessing whom in the current Juventus FC squad I believe to be 'bottoms' and whom to be 'tops'. One user in particular, a deutscher Mann who goes by the screenname "DAiDEVIL", challenged my characterisation of Paredes as a top, stating his assessment of Paredes as being "Tough acting, but an absolute pussy."[3] sufficient to consider him a bottom. In this same post he challenged me to explain my thinking in arriving to the above conclusion.
In this essay I will define these terms, and defend my analysis that Paredes is a top.
--- --- ---
Let us begin by defining these terms, where they came from and what they mean. To quote the abstract to a 2015 study (Zheng, Hart, Zheng):
We see here that the terms 'top' and 'bottom' originated so as to indicate which member of a gay male couple prefers to penetrate during anal sex, and which prefers to be penetrated. The term "versatile" used in this study I believe is more commonly referred to as a 'switch' in western parlance, but this is not very relevant to this essay.
Due to heteronormative gender roles and sex practices, it would be common for the partner performing the penetrating to be seen as the 'most masculine', and the partner receiving the penetration to be considered to be the more feminine. This is backed up by a 2016 study (Reilly), the abstract of which contains the following:
Though it would appear from the abstract (the full text is unavailable) that this study is written from the point of view of analysing how societal expectations and pressures run far deeper than sexual orientation, for my purposes in writing this essay I will be using it to support my assertion that traditionally feminine characteristics can be seen as indications of bottom behaviour, and masculine characteristics be indications of a top. This is also backed up by Zheng, Hart & Zheng, writing in 2016:
The next step is for us to establish what exactly can these ideas of masculine and feminine behaviour can be taken to mean. It has been noted (Itulua-Abumere, 2013) that in recent years presuppositions about gender and gender roles have been called into question as part of a redefinition of many aspects of human society. However, it is still possible to identify several traits which are thusly associated. These include labour income and protective instincts (Patnaik, 2021), aggressiveness, dominance, competitiveness, worldliness and self-confidence (Franklin, 2012). I will take these particular points and show how Paredes' behaviour and history fit with them.
--- --- ---
Firstly labour income. It must be acknowledged that the industry within which Paredes works is one known for impossibly high salaries for professional players. However, even within this sport he can be considered very well-paid. According to the PFSA website[4], the average wage for a footballer in the Premier League (the league with the highest average salary) was cited as "more than 3 million [pounds sterling] a year"- equivalent to 3.4 million euros. By comparison, Serie A- the league in which Paredes currently plays for Juventus- the average salary is cited[5] (last year, by judging by the players listed) at 1.8 million euros.
In a wider global economic context these are silly numbers. The type of salaries most can even dream of. And yet Leandro Paredes is not only being paid so highly by simple virtue of working within the football industry, but can be considered a high earner even within his field. According to capology.com[6], his gross annual salary is almost 9 million euros plus bonuses- more than four times the average in Serie A. For a 28-year old man to be bringing home this level of income can only be considered him ticking the box of 'high earner' on the masculinity checklist. All the more so when we consider that his status in the squad [6] is that of a reserve. Only a truly masculine man could be this overpaid.
Another point on our list is that of 'dominance'. This is a little harder to evidence, but we shall endeavour regardless. After considering how best to illustrate this element of Paredes' character, and considering I basically don't know anything about him and don't remember hearing his name before Juve approached him, I feel it shows through most strongly in his having succeeded in making it as a professional footballer.
The World Population Review estimates[7] that there are 250 million people playing football worldwide, while only 130 thousand professionals[8]. It can be presumed that of those 250 million, most of them would like to have the opportunity to play professionally due to the high salaries previously discussed as well as the desire to make one's living from one's hobbies. So why are 99.9% playing football at an amateur level? The fact is that they simply didn't make the cut, which would likely be often put down as a lack of talent- but what does that truly mean?
When it comes to physical activity, one can assume that physical attributes account for a sizeable portion of what could be considered the requisite 'talent' for becoming a professional athlete. However, as noted by Jowett and Spray (2013), success in athletics has far more to do with inherent mental characteristics of the athlete. Taking this into consideration, it must be concluded that Paredes was able to dominate his cohorts all the way through his journey in football- from his first baby fútbol teams in San Justo[9], through to the Boca Juniors academy and eventually all the way to being chosen for the FIFA World Cup 2022. This cannot be considered anything other than a dominant, therefore masculine and therefore top mindset.
This overlaps significantly with another attribute on our list, which is competitiveness. A recent event does well to illustrate the strength of this in Paredes' character. He was recently involved in an incident at a team Easter lunch for Juventus players[10], staff and their families. His outburst stemmed from what he perceived to be a lack of playing time afforded to him by the coach Allegri. This, he feels, is unwarranted. He clearly feels he has been doing enough in training to convince the Mister that he deserves more playing time.
This can be traced back to what I believe is the fundamental building block in a competitive spirit: the belief that from hard work comes results. This is something which has been proven to Paredes through his entire career, and it can only have frustrated him that this has not been the case during his time at Juventus. It is easy to see also how this indicates supreme self-confidence in his psyche: that he believes in himself and believes he has done enough to warrant more from Allegri, in spite of all objective evidence to the contrary; that he has been absolutely useless when given minutes. As noted by One Football[10], Paredes' storming out of the event caused quite a stir, as did his lashing out at Polish teammate Wojciech Szczesny in training. Both of these are indicators of something that has been a constant part of Paredes' football career: his aggressiveness.
According to Transfermark[11], Paredes has missed a total of 16 games in his professional career due to suspensions. This comes as part of his nature as an uncompromising tackler on the pitch who is unafraid to be physically imposing when winning the ball back [12], [13], [14]. While being so aggressive in defence it is inevitable that a player will accumulate cards and at times anger opposition players. However, it should be noted that Paredes is anything but an innocent victim in accusations of his hot-headedness. The aforementioned Easter incident and the one during training are evidence of this, but other examples on the pitch have happened and show not only Paredes' aggression but his instincts to protect his group.
The first incident took place during the 2022 World Cup in a match between Argentina and The Netherlands. In this tense game emotions were running high. There was a backdrop of Netherlands coach Van Gaal historically antagonising Argentinian players; from Juan Román Riquelme to Ángel Di María to Leo Messi[15]. Regardless of how it started, these tensions resulted in a game which at times was very scrappy. There were lots of fierce tackles, pushing and shoving and taunting going both ways. At 67 minutes[16] Paredes entered this atmosphere with a clear mission: physically enforce himself onto the game and defend his countrymen. This is precisely what he did [17], and given the result one could conclude that he was right to do so- not that that comes into it; he was acting on his instincts, instincts which I have shown to be indicative of a top rather than a bottom.
My second example of his protectiveness is from earlier this year, in a game between Juventus and Inter. As should be expected in a high-profile derby game, tensions were similarly high. Paredes once again entered as a substitute in the 83rd minute [18], well after the tense and hostile atmosphere had had time to develop. Similar to the previous example, Paredes understood his role: to antagonise and to defend. This he once again accomplished, and even after the final whistle, he was key in getting Inter player Danilo D'Ambrosio was sent off[19]. It's clear from a longer bit of footage [20] that this was deliberate from Paredes, and that it was also subconscious and he could not help but get emotionally involved in the fracas. In other words he has the natural instinct to protect- a characteristic which was established earlier as masculine, and therefore indicative of a top.
The final item on our list is that of worldliness. This is defined by Merriam-Webster[21] as 'relating to, or devoted to this world and its pursuits rather than to religion or spiritual affairs; possessing or displaying significant experience and knowledge about life and the world'.
On the first definition, Paredes' attention to detail when it comes to his appearance, his evidently lavish lifestyle [22] show his devotion to the material side of life. As for religion, Sportmob notes [23]
Hardly a Padre Pio.
As for the second dictionary definition given, we must consider that Paredes has lived in Argentina, Russia, Italy and France. In an interview with La Nación, in 2018[24] when asked about his life in Russia (he was still living there then), Paredes replied:
It should be noted that Paredes speaks more than one language. Besides Spanish, he also speaks Guaraní [25], some French [26] and also Italian [27]. Combining this knowledge of languages with the experiences he has had of living in and travelling to different countries, to experience different cultures on top of the opportunities he has had through his career to meet people from around the world, it would be a fair assessment to conclude that he is a worldly man in the second sense, too.
--- --- ---
In conclusion, I have demonstrated that Leandro Paredes is a high earner even within his field, his character is to be dominant, competitive, aggressive, protective and self-confident; and that his experiences in life qualify him as 'worldly'.
I have demonstrated that these characteristics are considered to be traditionally masculine, and that such masculine traits are often predictably correlated with somebody who would be expected to be a top in his boudoir.
Therefore I conclude that Leandro Daniel Paredes Benítez is a top and not a bottom.
--- --- ---
References and sources
Online
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leandro_Paredes#Honours
[2]https://www.juventuz.com/threads/nicolò-fagioli.43675/page-158#post-6655918
[3]https://www.juventuz.com/threads/nicolò-fagioli.43675/page-159#post-6656022
[4]https://thepfsa.co.uk/football-wages-how-much-do-footballers-get-paid/
[5]https://sqaf.club/how-much-do-serie-a-players-earn/
[6]https://www.capology.com/club/juventus/salaries/
[7]https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-popular-sport-by-country
[8]https://www.statista.com/statistics/1283927/number-pro-soccer-players-by-country/
[9]https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leandro_Paredes#Primeros_años
[10]https://onefootball.com/en/news/fru...n-locker-room-and-skips-easter-lunch-37174590
[11]https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leandro-paredes/ausfaelle/spieler/166237
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/footbal...argentinas-win-against-the-netherlands-370297
[16]https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/255711/285074/400128139
[17]
[18]https://www.google.com/search?q=juv...F-8#sie=m;/g/11s3spr2f7;2;/m/03zv9;tl;fp;1;;;
[19]
[20]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ci0v_LyRK6g
[21]https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worldly
[22]https://www.instagram.com/leoparedes_official/?hl=en
[23]https://sportmob.com/en/article/944442-leandro-paredes-biography
[24]https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deporte...en-esperar-los-hinchas-argentinos-nid2128633/
[25]https://d10.ultimahora.com/leandro-paredes-un-campeon-america-sangre-guarani-n2951787.html
[26]https://bolavip.com/europa/Video-la...-hacerlo-hablar-en-frances-20210414-0008.html
[27]
Printed/academic
(Franklin, 2012) The Changing Definition of Masculinity
https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl...I1d&sig=83T_UdmFyDqnmVKMi0zt9j-fA-o#v=onepage
(Itulua-Abumere, 2013) Understanding Men and Masculinity in Modern Society
https://www.researchgate.net/public...tanding_Men_and_Masculinity_in_Modern_Society
(Jowett & Spray, 2013) British Olympic Hopefuls: The antecedents and consequences of implicit ability beliefs in elite track and field athletes
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-02134-004
(Patnaik, 2021) Understanding Masculinity: An Alaysis of the Expression of Masculinity Across Various Intersections
https://www.researchgate.net/public...n_of_Masculinity_Across_Various_Intersections
(Reilly, 2016) Top or Bottom: A position Paper
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291555045_Top_or_bottom_a_position_paper
(Zheng, Hart, Zheng; 2015)Top/Bottom Sexual Self-labels and Empathizing-Systemizing Cognitive Styles Among Gay Men in China
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25663239/
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