Assessing Rodrigo De Paul's importance for World Cup chasing Argentina
When a footballing powerhouse like Argentina loses to a relative minnow like Saudi Arabia, a scapegoat is needed. After that shock 2-1 defeat in the group stage, Rodrigo De Paul was the principal pick of supporters in Buenos Aires and beyond.
De Paul did not have his best game against the Saudis, although he was far from alone in that regard. Yet he is the only midfielder who has started all five of Argentina’s matches in Qatar. He was brought off in the 66th minute of the quarter-final triumph over the Netherlands, but only because he was nursing an injury.
Previously, De Paul had played every minute of every game. That says everything about his importance to the cause, which Lionel Scaloni never doubted and Argentina fans have come to appreciate.
De Paul plays on the right-hand side of a midfield three for the Albiceleste, who are likely to return to a 4-3-3 formation against Croatia on Tuesday having switched to a 3-5-2 for their ill-tempered clash with the Dutch.
De Paul has been nicknamed Lionel Messi’s “bodyguard” since a 3-0 victory over Honduras in September. After one of several fouls on Argentina’s superstar, the midfielder sprinted towards the assailant and remonstrated with the referee.
He did not relinquish his guardian duties after the final whistle, when the Atletico Madrid man was seen rescuing Messi from being swarmed by Honduran players and officials desperate for a picture with the 35-year-old.
Photograph-seeking footballers have not been as much of a concern at the World Cup, but De Paul has helped Messi thrive on the pitch.
De Paul is a box-to-box midfielder who contributes in every phase of the game. He has averaged 1.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90 minutes at this tournament, while he ranks highest among Argentine midfielders who have started at least one match for dribbles (1.3) and shots (0.8). A typical De Paul move might involve him pressing an opponent to win the ball, driving forward with it and having an attempt on goal. The 28-year-old puts the engine in engine room. He has, after all, won possession in the midfield third more times (24) than any other player at the World Cup.
De Paul is not the most eye-catching distributor, but only Nicolas Otamendi (462) has made more passes than him (433) in the Argentina squad. A rate of 1.1 key passes per 90 places him below only Messi, Angel Di Maria and Alexis Mac Allister among those who have played at least 45 minutes.
It is no surprise that Diego Simeone was so keen to sign De Paul from Udinese in 2021. He is a tenacious, gritty player who gives everything to the cause. Argentina have played with energy and intensity at this World Cup, and no one embodies their approach more than De Paul.
He is intelligent, too, particularly with his positioning. As illustrated by his heat maps against Australia and the Netherlands, De Paul often drifts wide to allow his teammates to move inside. This was particularly significant against the Socceroos in the round of 16, when De Paul’s lateral movements encouraged right-sided forward Julian Alvarez to get closer to goal. He also makes regular darts forward without the ball, dragging opponents with him and opening up space for Messi in deeper areas.
No one should doubt De Paul’s standing within the Argentina squad. Since making his debut in October 2018, he has missed just seven games across two Copa America's, South America’s marathon World Cup qualification campaign and various friendly matches. De Paul has had his struggles at Atletico in recent months, but for the national team he is indispensable.
"I have the despliegue [physical coverage] to press the full-back or cover. How would I explain my role? I’m a like a spare tyre. Often important players rest on me," De Paul told the Guardian in an interview before last year’s Copa America, which Argentina won.
"The day I stop playing for Argentina, it will be because someone was better, not because I didn’t work. I like giving passes more than scoring and there are moments to throw yourself into tackles. I don’t have a problem doing that, nor do I want to be on the front pages."
That is why De Paul is one of the first names on Scaloni’s team sheet and why, in his own way, he will be integral to Argentina’s chances of reaching the World Cup final on Tuesday.
