Messi may claim the headlines but Inter Miami team-mate keeps Argentina ticking

Although Messi’s heroics secured the headlines before he was subbed in the 78th minute to a standing ovation, De Paul was in no mood to stop running until the final whistle.

Three minutes from time, the Inter Miami midfielder intercepted the ball by hammering it into the stands and promptly barked “Get stuck in” at one of his team-mates.

That moment summed up his all-action display — and perfectly complemented Messi’s sublime performance. Not bad for a man who was written off by some when he left Atletico Madrid to join his captain in Miami last year.

A six-month loan switch became a permanent deal after De Paul, 32, proved to be a force in Major League Soccer, which came as no surprise to anyone other than the critics who dared to question whether he should still be a regular in Lionel Scaloni’s side.

With Argentina top of Group J going into Monday night’s clash against Austria, De Paul knows it will take hard work as well as skill to successfully defend the World Cup they won by defeating France four years ago.

He said: “We know there’ll be times when we won’t have the ball — that’s something all teams will encounter a lot.

“As long as we’re willing to chase and put in the hard yards out of possession, which is part and parcel of the game, we’ll do just fine.”

So what of the move Stateside that drew so much criticism? De Paul added: “They’re all valid opinions.

“At the end of the day, it’s got everyone talking about football, which is the great thing.

“Given the way I play and what drives me, I know that the most important thing for my career is to be playing matches.

“That will enable me to be physically ready to deliver whatever the national team need from me. A year-and-a-half ahead of the World Cup, I set myself the goal of getting more game time.

“And that’s what’s happening. I’m playing every three days and haven’t had any injuries. I headed into this tournament in better shape than ever.”

As for Scaloni, he never doubted that De Paul would continue to be one of the first names on his team sheet.

Argentina’s head coach said: “We don’t care about the league he’s playing in. What matters to us is performance.

“He’s playing really well. When he takes to the pitch, he delivers. He knows he can’t let up.

“During the hydration break [against Algeria], I told him to stay locked in. When he plays with that intensity, he’s a game changer and he proved that.”

While Messi is set to be Argentina’s star of the tournament once again, De Paul will continue making things happen in the background.

With him ensuring the tempo and effort levels remain high, Scaloni’s men are likely to take some stopping in North America.

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