\n
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP) — Rodrigo de Paul has played with Lionel Messi for the Argentina national team for many years, but the star midfielder said he had long dreamed of playing with his best friend for the same club.<\/p>\n
“Every time we met on the national team, the days were amazing,” De Paul said through an interpreter. \u201cBut by the end of the day it was pretty short.<\/p>\n
When Messi joins Intermiami in Major League Soccer 2023<\/span>De Paul began to pay attention. He caught an MLS match during his busy schedule with at the time’s club Atletico Madrid, praised what Messi, co-owner David Beckham and Intermiami had been building in South Florida.<\/p>\nBeckham then approached DePaul with the idea of joining Inter Miami, and the 31-year-old chose to become a part of a league that intrigued him.<\/p>\n
“It was spectacular to be able to play in Europe in the best leagues in the world,” De Paul said at an introductory press conference on Friday morning, a week after officially signing on InterMiami and Loan. The loan runs until the end of the 2025 MLS season and includes the option to make the transfer permanent until the 2029 season.<\/p>\n
DePaul, Messi and Argentina’s World Cup champion and two-time Copa America winner, said he has several offers to stay in Europe, but he likes the challenge of moving to MLS and knows he can expect a lot from him.<\/p>\n
“I want to learn next to this league,” De Paul said. “I want to be part of this growth. …I want to join (InterMiami) and set a precedent so that players don’t come here just at the end of their careers. I want players to feel that coming to this club is a commitment to the city and their fans.”<\/p>\n
De Paul made his Intermiami debut on Wednesday 2-1 League Cup victory<\/span> Overliga MX Club Atlas. He played full 90 minutes despite not officially training with his new team. <\/p>\nMiami coach Javier Mascherano was impressed with De Paul’s efforts. He hasn’t played in games since Atletico Madrid defeated the Club World Cup about a month ago, but DePaul was active and vocal on the pitch.<\/p>\n
“Watching him do what he did is something that he wanted to see up to the last minute from a player like him,” Mascano said after the game Wednesday. “We want him to become himself here and leave that type of effort and level of play as a team.”<\/p>\n
DePaul played for Atletico Madrid from 2021 and from 2016 after joining Udinese’s Spanish club. DePaul played in 356 career matches with 45 goals and 56 assists.<\/p>\n
The move to Intermiami gives DePaul and Messi a way to continue their chemistry in preparation for next summer’s World Cup. <\/p>\n
“For me, the most important thing is the Argentina national team,” said De Paul.<\/p>\n
“He told me, ‘I know you can give me on the field, I know who you are,” De Paul said. “I’m going to assess what you’re doing on the field. As long as you’re playing and feeling better, I know the class of players you’re in.” I had to hear those words. \u201d<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP Soccer: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/soccer<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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