Former Chile international Patricio Mardones has criticized Rodrigo De Paul, suggesting that Argentina only selects him because of his friendship with Lionel Messi.
Rodrigo De Paul Started As Argentina Beat Chile In World Cup Qualifier
Despite the absence of captain Messi, Argentina secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Chile in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday, September 5. De Paul played in the midfield and contributed to his team’s success.
The Atletico Madrid player had a passing accuracy of 91%, completed 67 out of 74 passes, provided eight accurate long balls, created five chances, and took three shots. Defensively, he made nine recoveries, three interceptions, and won three ground duels.
Mardones Slams “Unpleasant” De Paul
Although De Paul had a good performance against Chile, Mardones was not impressed. He described the 30-year-old as a limited player who only plays for Argentina due to his friendship with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi.
He stated (via TNT Sports):
“There is a nasty player, Rodrigo De Paul. Watching the match between Argentina and Chile, I would tell him on the pitch ‘wow, you’re bad’. He is a limited player who works hard.
“He has very good teammates who make up for that limitation. I would have told him: ‘You are bad and you play because you are a friend of Messi.’ De Paul makes me feel that way, he’s a very unpleasant guy.”
De Paul made his Argentina debut under Lionel Scaloni on October 11, 2018. Since then, he has played 70 matches for the national team, scoring twice and providing 11 assists.
Known as one of Messi’s closest friends, De Paul is often referred to as the Inter Miami star’s bodyguard due to their strong relationship. Although not as creative as some of his teammates, De Paul compensates with his exceptional work ethic. He was a key player in Argentina’s victories at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Copa America tournaments in 2021 and 2024.
