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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>All-time great has been nursing a knock</li><li>Limited game time for Inter Miami</li><li>In qualification action against Paraguay</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

‘With Lionel Messi everything is always better’ – Rodrigo De Paul & Argentina ‘always miss’ captain during injury absences

Major League Soccer

Vancouver Whitecaps

Inter Miami CF

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/revealed-clever-role-change-loophole-allowed-lionel-messi-bench-argentina-not-substitute/blt70ddd5ba1972fbda " target="_blank">sat out a 2026 World Cup qualifying clash with Bolivia</a> back in September after picking up an untimely knock. That problem <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/will-lionel-messi-play-inter-miami-again-2023-tata-martino-plans-two-mls-games-play-off-failure/blt28ced1464e3f8aa9" target="_blank">restricted him to just 72 minutes of game time for Inter Miami</a> in MLS before heading off with the Albiceleste once more.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Messi was kept on the bench for 53 minutes of a meeting with Paraguay, but made an impressive cameo as he <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/watch-so-close-lionel-messi-hits-post-corner-argentina-inter-miami-star-magic-international-duty/blt912571a5875b47ba" target="_blank">struck the woodwork</a> on two occasions and tangled with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/dont-know-who-guy-is-lionel-messi-refuses-make-paraguay-rival-famous-spat-at-argentina-2026-world-cup-qualifier/blta4f9c1a45a3d67e2#cs0d669d18090767b6" target="_blank">Antonio Sanabria – who spat at him</a> – in a hard-fought 1-0 win for the 2022 World Cup winners.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

De Paul, who is a close friend of the all-time great, is delighted to have Messi back alongside him, telling <a href="https://www.tycsports.com/seleccion-argentina/rodrigo-de-paul-orgullo-mentalidad-equipo-elogios-lionel-messi-anecdota-dibu-martinez-id541014.html " target="_blank">TyC Sports</a> of how the mercurial 36-year-old makes life easier for everybody when he is on the field: “Although we play at a very high level, we always miss him, we always want to have him in. I hope he can come back in the next game because with him everything is always better. For me it is a pleasure to turn around and see him.”

WHAT THEY SAID

Argentina, who sit at the top of the CONMEBOL qualification table after taking maximum points form three qualifiers so far, will be back in action next Tuesday against Peru – with it <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/risky-lionel-messi-injury-update-substitute-appearance-argentina-lionel-scaloni-undecided-inter-miami-peru/blt352455dbff2f283f" target="_blank">yet to be determined whether Messi will play more of a prominent role</a> in that contest.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

‘With Lionel Messi everything is always better’ – Rodrigo De Paul & Argentina ‘always miss’ captain during injury absences | Goal.com

Rodrigo De Paul admits that Argentina “always miss” Lionel Messi when he is unavailable, with “everything always better” when he is clear of injury.

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