Passion, grit, fight and talent; De Paul has it all.
Rodrigo De Paul has earned a reputation for always being up for a fight, sometimes literally. This is not surprising for a midfielder under Diego Simeone, but he carries it to the international stage as well. He's become something of a cult hero among Argentina fans, as he is often the first one to stand up for Lionel Messi when the star is fouled. This somewhat undersells his footballing abilities though, as he is also one of the most talented players for La Albiceleste.
The scrappiness used to defend his teammates is reflected in the tenacity which De Paul uses to harass opponents. He ranks in the top 20 percent among midfielders in Europe in pressures both in the middle third and final third of the pitch. After forcing turnovers, he excels in creating dangerous situations for his team.
De Paul ranks in the top 15 percent in progressive passes, top 20 percent in passes into the final third, and top 10 percent in passes into the penalty area. He ranks even better in terms of chances created, where he is in the top five percent among midfielders in Europe's top five leagues. He's also extremely capable of creating on his own, ranking in the top 20 percent in carries, carries into the final third, and distance carried.
De Paul's dribbling ability leads him to being fouled frequently, ranking in the top five percent in Europe when it comes to fouls drawn. In these scenarios he is extremely dangerous, as he is prolific at delivering balls into the box. He again ranks among the top ten percent of midfielders in shot-creating actions from dead ball situations, as well as the top five percent in terms of crosses into the box.
With stars Paulo Dybala and Angel di Maria both potentially missing the World Cup due to recent injuries, the creative burden will fall heavily on Lionel Messi's shoulders. It will be important for Argentina to have someone like De Paul to carry some of that weight, and he will certainly be up for the fight.
