Rodrigo De Paul responds after Argentina's World Cup heartbreak

The pain of losing the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain is still fresh for Argentina, but for Rodrigo De Paul, the disappointment has been matched by frustration over the criticism aimed at Lionel Scaloni's squad throughout the tournament.

The midfielder took to social media to defend his teammates and supporters, insisting that much of the backlash surrounding Argentina's campaign was driven by unfounded accusations rather than reality.

De Paul blasts critics and conspiracy theories

In a lengthy message shared on Instagram, De Paul admitted that failing to retain the World Cup remains the greatest disappointment, particularly because Argentina was unable to celebrate another historic title with its fans.

"The biggest pain is that we couldn't bring the World Cup back to our country," he wrote. "If anyone deserved to experience that feeling again, it was our people."

The Atlético Madrid midfielder also claimed that many rivals had been waiting for Argentina to stumble and used the tournament to spread what he described as "baseless conspiracy theories."

"Today I see 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."

Argentina grew closer during the tournament

Rather than allowing the outside noise to divide the squad, De Paul believes the criticism only strengthened the bond inside the dressing room.

According to the 31-year-old, every accusation reinforced the team's commitment to one another and to representing Argentina with pride on the world's biggest stage.

"But that only reaffirmed that passion and love for our shirt can do everything," De Paul added. "It will hurt for a long time, but today more than ever I am proud to be Argentine."

Argentina's World Cup campaign remains under scrutiny

Even after reaching back-to-back World Cup finals, Argentina's campaign continues to generate debate following the heated conclusion of the match against Spain.

The Albiceleste finished the final with disciplinary issues after Enzo Fernández was sent off during extra time, while Leandro Paredes received a red card after the final whistle. Reports have also suggested FIFA could review the incidents, meaning the fallout from Argentina's World Cup run may not be over just yet.

While the trophy ultimately slipped away, De Paul's message made one thing clear: inside Argentina's camp, the belief is that the criticism only made the team more united throughout its journey to the final.

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