Before the confrontation with Cabo Verde in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul praised his close teammate Lionel Messi, and revealed that the Argentine team has prepared mentally for a completely different scenario.
Considered Messi's "bodyguard" in the Argentina national team jersey, De Paul affirmed that the 39-year-old captain is still enjoying football and shows no signs of stopping after the 2026 World Cup.
I think the most important thing is for everyone to enjoy every moment Messi is still playing, instead of counting down to see how many matches he has left. We, like all Argentinians, are very lucky to still see Messi contribute every day," De Paul shared at the pre-match press conference.
The midfielder currently playing for Inter Miami also expressed his pride in being side by side with Messi both at club and national team levels.
Being friends with Messi is very meaningful to me. We both experience many moments on the field as well as in real life. That is what makes me always feel lucky and proud," De Paul said.
Messi is participating in his 6th World Cup in his career. After the group stage, he scored 6 goals to lead the top scorer list with Kylian Mbappe, including a hat-trick in the opening match against Algeria.
Besides the story about Messi, De Paul also revealed that the Argentine team did not think they would face Cabo Verde in the round of 16.
When we know the draw, we all think it is likely to meet a team that has won the World Cup or strong opponents like Spain or Uruguay. In the end, the opponent is Cabo Verde," the 32-year-old midfielder shared.
However, De Paul emphasized that Argentina must absolutely not be subjective against the African representative, because the teams of this continent always possess fitness, speed and the ability to create surprises.
This view is also agreed upon by coach Lionel Scaloni. The Argentine coach assessed that Cabo Verde had a very impressive group stage and deserved to participate in the knockout round.
That is the team that played very well against their opponents. We have to enter the game with the highest concentration and responsibility because this is a very important match," Scaloni said.
The Argentine coach also said that he has not finalized the starting lineup, but there are all the best players to prepare for the confrontation taking place in the early morning of July 4 (Vietnam time).
On the other side of the battle line, coach Bubista sees the confrontation with the reigning world champion as the biggest milestone in the history of Cabo Verde football.
This is the most important match in our lives. The whole team will try their best to overcome Argentina and continue to write a fairy tale at the 2026 World Cup," this strategist affirmed.
