De Paul Hits Back at Critics: Many Were Waiting for Argentina to Fall!

Rodrigo De Paul has defended Argentina’s supporters and players after their World Cup final loss to Spain, posting a pointed message on Instagram less than 24 hours after the defeat.

The 32-year-old, who came on as a substitute in the semi-final against England and started the final, said some people had spent the tournament spreading baseless conspiracy theories and waiting for Argentina to fail.

He wrote that the team’s smiles and performances seemed to irritate critics, but said the passion and love for the shirt could overcome that. De Paul also made clear the hurt of missing out on a second straight World Cup title.

“The biggest pain is that we cannot bring the World Cup back to our country,” he said, adding that the bond with the team went beyond the trophy. He ended by saying the pain would last a long time, but that he felt prouder than ever to be Argentine.

De Paul has 94 caps and remains one of the key figures from Lionel Scaloni’s successful era.