National team boss responds when asked about Lionel Messi's Inter Miami teammate's under-par form since move to MLS club

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni isn't bothered by Rodrigo De Paul's poor form since teaming up with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. The 31-year-old left Atletico Madrid this summer to join the Herons on loan with an option to join permanently in 2026.

De Paul arrived with a stellar CV, having won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa America titles, and the Finalissima with La Albiceleste. The Argentine midfielder registered 14 goals and 26 assists from 187 games during his time with Los Rojiblancos.

His decision to leave European football this summer raised quite a few eyebrows. De Paul was expected to help Lionel Messi and Co. hit a higher gear, and he has been heavily involved with the first team so far.

While he has registered one goal and six assists from 16 appearances across competitions for Inter Miami, US media have stated that De Paul hasn't been at his best since the move. The player's form could have his national team worried, especially with the FIFA World Cup less than a year away.

When quizzed on the matter, as cited by Inter Miami News Hub, Scaloni insisted that he isn't concerned about the media's opinion of his star.

“I don’t care what the media or people say about him. I only focus on what he can give us — that’s why he’s here. I know him very well, and I believe he can contribute to our team. The rest… everyone’s entitled to their opinion,” said Scaloni.

De Paul has registered two goals from 80 games for Argentina to date.

Will Lionel Messi sign a new deal with Inter Miami?

Lionel Messi's contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of this year, and he is yet to sign a new deal. The Argentine maestro has been a revelation for the Florida-based club since arriving at the Chase Stadium in the summer of 2023 as a free agent.

La Pulga has since registered 66 goals and 35 assists from 80 games in all competitions, taking the MLS by storm. The 39-year-old has won the Leagues Cup and the Supporters' Shield so far.

A report from ESPN last month stated that Lionel Messi is all set to sign a multi-year contract with Inter Miami, with only a few details left to be sorted out. Once the agreement is final, the contract will be forwarded to the MLS for final approval.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over seven years at Sportskeeda. He has written nearly 10000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 21 million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

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Edited by Deepungsu Pandit