“This Game Was Not About Lionel Messi”- Rodrigo De Paul Hailed as Argentina’s Hero Against Brazil

All the hell broke out when Argentina and Brazil locked horns. A violent brawl moments before the match overshadowed Argentina’s triumph over Brazil in the World Cup qualifiers. This pre-match chaos delayed the start of the game, and Lionel Messi’s reaction to the same was widely discussed. Recently, one of the former soccer stars made a staggering comment on the nature of the match, and interestingly, he hailed Rodrigo De Paul as the hero of the Argentina team, snubbing the soccer legend, Messi.

Rodrigo De Paul’s relentless support has earned him a place as ‘La Pulga’s trusted confidant and protector. The duo share an inseparable bond, which is evident in their numerous public appearances. However, the fans consider Mesi to be far superior to the Atletico Madrid midfielder. Hence, the statement from the former soccer star can come as a surprise to them.

Soccer star-turned-analyst calls Rodrigo De Paul the hero after snubbing Lionel Messi

Argentina managed to secure a narrow victory over Brazil as Nicolas Otamendi scored a magnificent goal. However, when it comes to former Venezuelan soccer player Ale Moreno, Rodrigo De Paul was the hero of Argentina, as he had the aggressive spirit to outdo Brazil in their homeland. He said, “So this game was not about Lionel Messi. This game was not about Gabriel Jesus. This game was not about Julian Alvarez and this game was not about Rafinda or Rodrigo. No, this game was about Rodrigo De Paul.”

He later explained why he believed De Paul was the hero of the last match between Brazil and Argentina. Moreno added, “It was the Rodrigo De Paul special. The whole game took the personality of Rodrigo De Paul and guess what he’s thriving in that game whereas Brazil are trying to play a match in a style. This simply do not match who they are.“From the words of Moreno, it is clear that if it’s a grudge match between two rivals, then the aggressive playing style of De Paul is the best to adopt.

After the controversial match, it was Messi who made headlines for verbally tearing apart Brazil’s Rodrigo. Interestingly, the Inter-Miami star was trying to protect De Paul when he and the Brazilian player got into an argument. Rodrigo insulted them by calling them cowards, and Messi reminded him that they were the world champions. From this very incident, it is clear that both Messi and De Paul always have each other’s backs.

The unbreakable bond between the two soccer stars

Both Rodrigo and Messi are often caught having close interactions with each other. On several occasions, the 29-year-old has demonstrated his unwavering loyalty to the Inter-Miami star. Recently, when things got brutal between Brazil and Argentina, Messi lashed out at the unacceptable events that took place before the match.

READ MORE: “Tragedy Could Have Happened” – Lionel Messi Opens Up on Police Beating Argentina Fans With Sticks That Led to Delay in Game vs Brazil

When De Paul came across Messi’s deep concern over the matter, he came forward to appreciate the legend’s immense contribution to their team and people. He wrote, “You stood up for the people and played your heart out for us. Thank you captain.” Being a close friend of Messi, De Paul wanted to remind people about the greatness of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Moreover, Messi was injured while playing for Inter-Miami, but he still chose to show up for his team. Do you think that Rodrigo was right about Messi’s role in uplifting the team? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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