Rodrigo De Paul cherishes Lionel Messi reunion at Inter Miami | OneFootball

By Jaime Uribarri

The good news for Inter Miami CF fans: Rodrigo De Paul excelled in his debut with the Herons, a 2-1 win over Atlas FC in Leagues Cup.

The even better news: There’s much more to come from the superstar Argentine midfielder.

"I feel a lot more pressure... for who I am, because of the demands on me to improve every weekend," De Paul told reporters during his introductory press conference on Friday, a day before the Herons welcome Necaxa to Chase Stadium in the second of three Phase One matches against LIGA MX opposition (7 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).

"That’s what I want more than anything. The pages of Inter’s history are starting to be written, and for me, it’s a story that’s on its way up."

World Cup champion

After over a decade in Europe, De Paul joins Miami on loan from LaLiga giants Atlético de Madrid through the end of the 2025 MLS season, with an option to make the deal permanent through 2029.

A key figure behind Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning run, along with new club teammate Lionel Messi, the 31-year-old veteran sees his South Florida move as a stepping stone rather than a roadblock towards his goal of helping La Albiceleste defend their title at next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"For me, the most important thing of all is the Argentina national team," De Paul said, before revealing a conversation he had with his country’s manager, Lionel Scaloni, prior to joining the Herons.

"He told me, 'I know what you can give me on the field. I know who you are. I’m only going to evaluate what you do on the field. What you do there, as long as you play and you’re feeling well, I know the class of player that you are.'

"I needed to hear those words."

Messi reunion

De Paul also spoke with Messi before agreeing to a deal with Miami, although he needed little convincing to build on his national team partnership with the legendary No. 10.

"With Leo, we always had the dream or the desire to play together in a club, to hang out every day together," he said. "Every time we were together on the national team, the day-to-day was incredible. The time always ended up feeling too short.

"I always wanted to have the feeling of playing every day with the best of them all."

Ambitious Miami project

De Paul now joins Messi as a figurehead of a star-studded squad that also boasts Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, in addition to a talented supporting cast.

The Herons already have a Leagues Cup 2023 title and a 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield for their efforts. This year, under head coach Javier Mascherano, they reached the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals while making a historic Round-of-16 run at the FIFA Club World Cup.

For 'El Motorcito,' the ambition is to further grow the reputation and legacy of a Miami side that aspires to both domestic and international greatness.

"Something important that stuck with me was not just what Inter Miami did, but through Inter Miami, what the league showed in the Club World Cup, competing with giant clubs on and off the field, and making a big mark," De Paul told club media earlier this week.

“This league has great players, and it's only getting better. I want to help this league continue to grow," he said. "That's one of the reasons I'm here."

Inter Miami: Messi-De Paul duo already paying dividends