Rodrigo De Paul’s career has been a prime example of hard work and dedication, especially because of the ups and downs he went through. He started as a promising creative midfielder at Racing Club de Avellaneda in his native Argentina, and then signed for La Liga side Valencia in the summer of 2014.
The Argentinian didn’t manage to make much of an impact in Spanish football at just twenty years of age, usually struggling for consistency. He was loaned back to Racing in 2016, where he delivered some high-quality performances, and was later sold to Serie A side Udinese that year.
It would be at Udine and in Italian football where the midfielder would come into his own in Europe, playing as a number ten and pulling the strings on the pitch. It would be during this period of his career that he would also become a lot more wanted in the market, although he would end up staying there until 2021.
2021 would be a key year for him since he would win the Copa America with the Argentina national team, ending a decades-long trophy drought, and earning himself a transfer to Atletico Madrid. He would be key yet again for Argentina in the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America, becoming one of the main stars of the team. Now, he has made the decision to go on loan to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
It is no secret that De Paul is also very good friends with the star of Inter Miami and football legend, Lionel Messi. He has been a major supporter of his throughout his run in the national team, constantly backing him up, which is why a lot of people think that he has joined this team to play with him at club level as well.
Indeed, it was a rather peculiar decision by De Paul, especially considering that, at 31 years of age, he could still perform at a good level in Europe. His last season with Atletico Madrid was the one where he played the most matches with that institution until now (53 matches across all competitions), so it is clear that manager Diego Simeone still trusted him.
The new dynamic duo in Miami 🤩
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 26, 2025
Messi and De Paul are enjoying some @InterMiamiCF action together! pic.twitter.com/CQQeWpuDE1
There is a very good chance that De Paul wanted to play with Messi and he decided to leave Spanish football. He was also seen recently with the football legend watching Inter Miami play FC Cincinnati, which ended with a 0-0 draw. The Argentinian recently ended the World Club Cup and was going through a vacation, so there is a chance that he is going to have a slow start with the club.
When it comes to Inter Miami, manager Javier Mascherano is probably quite happy with this signing. Here is a top-level midfielder at his peak signing for his team, so there is a very good chance that he is going to add much-needed extra quality to the side.
Moreover, Argentina fans are going to hope that he is going to perform at a good level to contribute next year in the World Cup.
