Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul spoke about the promise Lionel Messi made to him on the eve of the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.
Rodrigo De PaulDe Paul feared his Qatar World Cup journey was over after he picked up an injury two days before the quarter-final against the Netherlands. Tests showed that the midfielder had a muscle strain, which put his participation in the match in doubt. De Paul turned to Messi for advice, but the Argentina captain told him to sit out the match and promised that he would make sure the team reached the semi-finals.
"I went to Messi's room and he tells me: 'Don't play, we're going to the quarter-finals.' It could have been my last game at the World Cup if I wasn't called up in four years. He told me: “I promise I will take you to the semi-finals, but don't take any chances, stay away.
I didn't know whether to object or not. It's very difficult because he didn't speak to me as a captain, but as a friend or a big brother," Rodrigo told Fox Sports.
We will remind that De Paul still appeared in the team's starting line-up, but was replaced in the 66th minute, when his team was leading 1:0. Messi later doubled Argentina's lead, but a late Dutch comeback from Vaut Weghorst gave the team an extra 30 minutes of play. Still, Argentina managed to cope with the nerves and won in a series of post-match penalties.
