Cherish every Messi moment, not the countdowns, says De Paul

Argentina's Rodrigo De Paul wants fans to cherish Lionel Messi's presence on the field, rather than counting down his remaining games. De Paul, a close friend and teammate of the 39-year-old star, dismissed suggestions that the team should be preparing for life after their talismanic captain.

“

For me, the main thing is to enjoy Leo Messi every single day, just as every Argentinian citizen.

"For me, the main thing is to enjoy Leo Messi every single day, just as every Argentinian citizen," De Paul told reporters ahead of Argentina's knockout clash with Cape Verde. "Of course, we always value those things more than what we don't have anymore. That's part of life. But we are all enjoying having him around."

De Paul, who joined Messi at Inter Miami last year, also spoke about the importance of his friendship with the captain. "It means a lot to be a good friend of Lionel Messi. Friendship is one of the most important things that we all have," he said. "I consider myself a very lucky man. For being there, sharing moments with him on and off the pitch. And that makes me really proud."

“

Of course, we always value those things more than what we don't have anymore. That's part of life. But we are all enjoying having him around.

Argentina had anticipated facing a stronger opponent in the knockout rounds, such as Spain or Uruguay, rather than Cape Verde. De Paul acknowledged the surprise but cautioned against underestimating their African opponents. "We're facing a team that played very well during the group stages, they played very well against their opponents," he said. "I think that we need to be very responsible when it comes to tomorrow's game, because it's a very important match for us."

“

It means a lot to be a good friend of Lionel Messi. Friendship is one of the most important things that we all have.

Reflecting on the pressures of knockout football, De Paul noted that while experience helps manage emotions, each game presents unique challenges. "Of course, we've played these knockout matches before, but every game is different," he said. "Those feelings, those emotions are always very strong and powerful. You never know what impact they might have. With experience, you know how to manage them. But at the end of the day, they're emotions and you need to respect them."

“

I consider myself a very lucky man. For being there, sharing moments with him on and off the pitch. And that makes me really proud.