Lionel Messi had nothing but praise for his new Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul following the midfielder’s debut at Chase Stadium.
De Paul kicked off his career in a pink shirt helping Inter Miami to a dramatic victory in their Leagues Cup opener. The Herons defeated Liga MX side Atlas 2–1 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Marcelo Weigandt, set up by Messi.
Despite completing a move from Atlético Madrid less than a week ago, De Paul got the nod alongside Sergio Busquets in Wednesday night’s fixture. The midfielder played all 90 minutes of the Leagues Cup clash, completing the most passes in the match and creating three chances.
After Javier Mascherano’s men secured all three points, Messi spoke to the media and reflected on De Paul’s arrival in Miami and his overall performance.
“We’ve known each other for a long time and played many matches together,” Messi said. “He raises the level of the squad. He’s barely trained and still covered so much ground, even in these tough conditions with the heat and humidity.”
De Paul and Messi have shared the pitch together for the Argentina national team over the years. The two stars helped La Albiceleste win Copa América 2021 and 2024, as well as the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The two never played for the same club, though, until now. De Paul joined Inter Miami on loan from Atlético Madrid with the MLS side reportedly obligated to later buy the 31-year-old for $17.6 million. The loan deal, funded by Targeted Allocation Money, allows the Herons to get around tagging the Argentine as a Designated Player this season.
The addition of a midfielder of De Paul’s quality makes Inter Miami one of the favorites to win the 2025 Leagues Cup. The Herons previously topped the competition in 2023, and Messi is hoping to lead his team to the trophy once again.
“We’re always ready to compete,” Messi said. “We had a strong run in the Concacaf Champions Cup earlier this year and nearly made the final. We’re in the fight for the top spots in the league, had a solid showing at the Club World Cup and now we’ve added a great player like Rodrigo.”
Inter Miami are back in action on Saturday, Aug. 2, against Necaxa at Chase Stadium.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lionel Messi Gives Verdict on Rodrigo De Paul’s Debut for Inter Miami.
