Rodrigo De Paul spoke about Lionel Messi, Atlético Madrid and the mental aspect of football during an interview with CNN España. Here is what Argentina’s number 7 had to say about Messi and his future with the national team:
“Messi just came back and scored two goals. A 37-year-old player who hadn’t played since the Copa América due to an ankle problem returns and is still very different from the rest, so I hope we can enjoy him for many more years, and for me, it’s a pleasure.
“If he will be at the World Cup 2026? Let’s hope so. The truth is, I don’t think even he knows yet. I think it will depend on how he feels physically, but obviously for us, we hope so, because, as I said, he is very, very important not just on the field, but off it as well.”
De Paul was asked about his club, Atlético Madrid, being full of Argentines:
“The truth is there are quite a few of us. A nice little group has formed there with mate. And well, in the end, the best thing about football is the locker room, the training sessions, because then match day comes, and you have to win, and there’s a lot of pressure and many obligations. All of that, when you are far away, you miss from Argentina, and now we have a little group where we do things that are very common in our country, like playing cards, drinking mate, having a barbecue, the same music, a bit of cumbia. So, I’m really enjoying it.”
De Paul emphasized the crucial role of mental health in football and the pressures players face on and off the pitch:
“I believe that the mental aspect is just as important, if not more, than the physical aspect. In the end, a football player is a human being. The happier you are, the better you’ll perform at your job. I think that’s true in any workplace. The calmer and more rested you are, the better. Players also deal with a lot of pressure. There are obligations in every job, but for football players, there is a widespread emotional connection.
“Often, people’s mood depends on how their favorite club is doing. So, there’s a level of responsibility that you carry or that is placed on you, and it’s not easy to manage all of that in just one person’s mind. So, I think the mental aspect should be given a lot of importance. There are highly skilled people out there, and it would be great if everyone had a space to unload or find tools to handle all this, which isn’t easy.”
