Rodrigo De Paul Defends Argentina After World Cup Defeat
Rodrigo De Paul has never been one to hide. Not on the pitch, not in front of a microphone, and certainly not on social media.
Days after Argentina’s World Cup dream died in extra time against Spain at MetLife Stadium, the midfielder has stepped forward as the loudest voice in defence of a team that fell agonisingly short of history – and has since been dragged through a storm of criticism.
World champions brought down, but not quietened
Lionel Scaloni’s side were chasing immortality. No nation has retained the World Cup in 64 years, and Argentina pushed the final to breaking point before losing 1-0 after extra time. The title slipped away, but the noise did not.
The post-mortem has gone far beyond tactics and line-ups. Argentina’s behaviour, their edge, their gamesmanship and discipline during the final have all been picked apart, with opponents and neutrals alike lining up to question the conduct of the reigning champions.
De Paul has heard enough.
“Our smiles bother them”
On Instagram, the midfielder delivered a pointed, emotional message aimed at those he believes were waiting for Argentina to fall.
He admitted the defeat cut deep, not because of personal glory lost, but because of what it meant for the people back home.
“The biggest pain is that we couldn't bring the World Cup to our country again, because if there is anyone who deserved to live that feeling again, it was you,” he wrote, addressing Argentina’s supporters.
He then shifted the lens away from the trophy and onto the bond between the squad and the fans, suggesting that connection now matters more than the silverware they failed to retain.
“As the hours go by, they're dropping us that the identification they have with this group goes beyond the trophy and that's something I want to grab on to be able to transition into this moment,” he continued.
The tone hardened when he turned to the team’s critics, accusing rival fans of resenting Argentina’s joy and success throughout the tournament.
“Today, I look at how many people were waiting for this fall, spreading baseless conspiracy theories throughout the World Cup just to soothe their own pain at not being able to experience what we Argentines were living through – because our smiles bother them, because our ways get under their skin.”
A team under siege, and defiant
The message fits De Paul’s on-field persona: combative, unapologetic, fiercely protective of the dressing room. As questions swirl around Argentina’s conduct in the final, he has chosen to turn the spotlight back on those celebrating their defeat and questioning their legitimacy.
Argentina leave this World Cup without the trophy they craved, their bid for back-to-back titles broken in extra time. What remains, in De Paul’s eyes, is a group still bound tightly to a fanbase that has ridden every high and low with them.
The medals have changed. The mentality, he insists, has not.
