After winning the Copa America, Argentine star Rodrigo De Paul appeared on the Olga en vivo channel on a video platform where he talked about Lionel Messi and players like Alejandro Garnacho.
De Paul praised Messi, and this praise was not just about his sporting abilities: “Who has the strongest perfume scent in the Argentina team? Leo (Messi) sprays perfume all the time! Leo is my friend, and when I had many difficulties, he was always there for me. In my circle, his advice and opinions are always to the point, and whenever I need his help, he always gives the right advice. So, I rely on him a lot, and our friendship has lasted for seven years, that’s everything.”
During the Copa America, Messi celebrated his birthday, and De Paul laughed as he said: “What did we give him for his birthday? A crepe, and some cakes and desserts, he was very happy and very well-behaved.”
Of course, De Paul doesn’t just go around praising everyone. He also pointed out some issues with his teammates. Argentina’s TYC Sports has been criticizing Garnacho for his lack of familiarity with and recognition of Argentina, such as “only speaking Spanish in a Spanish way, not an Argentine way,” or “not even knowing what July 9th is (Argentina’s Independence Day),” or saying that his “idol is Cristiano Ronaldo” (Argentinians, even if they don’t praise Messi, rarely openly praise Cristiano Ronaldo). De Paul also criticized Garnacho: “The most important thing about Garnacho isn’t whether he speaks Spanish or not; it’s about his choices. What’s important is that playing for the national team is an honor, a responsibility, and a love and identification with the country, and Garnacho needs this more than anything.”
Garnacho’s father is Spanish, and his mother is Argentine; the player grew up in Spain and currently plays for Manchester United in the English Premier League. Following his mother’s advice, Garnacho chose to play for the Argentina team, but in several interviews, he stated that he has a “lack of understanding” of Argentina, which greatly upset the Argentine public.