Rodrigo De Paul, who plays alongside Lionel Messi both with the Argentine national team and Inter Miami, made a controversial comparison between MLS and the UEFA Champions League.
Winning MLS requires persistence, discipline, and high-level play, especially in a growing soccer landscape fueled by ambition and competitive balance. That is something Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi have already experienced with Inter Miami, who are building a project designed to contend for titles. However, many would still agree that the UEFA Champions League is on another level—but not for De Paul.
In an interview with Marca, the Argentine midfielder raised eyebrows by claiming, “I think it is more difficult to win MLS than the Champions League. You have to play all the time perfectly. It sounds crazy, but the MLS format is really difficult.”
It was ironic to some observers that De Paul made that claim, considering he never won a Champions League title during his time in Europe. MLS operates as a league format followed by playoffs, while the Champions League, despite recent structural changes, remains a continental cup competition. The contrast between formats makes the comparison complex.
De Paul arrived at Inter Miami last season in a transfer reportedly worth $15 million, signing a three-year contract to team up with Messi. Having won the MLS Cup title in 2025, the Herons start their title defense on Saturday, February 21, against Los Angeles FC.
Rodrigo De Paul #7 of Inter Miami.
MLS and a format that does not forgive
The Argentine midfielder focused on the competitive structure of MLS to defend his argument, highlighting a long and demanding regular season that rewards consistency, followed by single-elimination playoffs. Dominating the regular season guarantees nothing once the postseason begins. One mistake can send teams home.
UEFA breaks silence on Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid’s racism allegations towards Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni in Champions League
De Paul, who has played in the UEFA Champions League but never lifted the trophy, argued that the European format, with a league phase and two-leg knockout rounds, offers more margin for error. Over two matches, teams can recover from a poor performance, something that is not always possible in the MLS playoffs.
He also pointed to logistical challenges in the United States, where travel distances are significantly longer, and weather conditions vary dramatically compared to Europe. In addition, the salary cap system in MLS is designed to promote parity among teams, unlike the financial imbalance often seen in European competitions.
De Paul’s best Champions League result
De Paul does not have a Champions League title to reinforce his argument. The furthest Rodrigo De Paul advanced in the UEFA Champions League was the quarterfinals, a stage he reached twice with Atletico Madrid during the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons.
In the 2023-24 edition, De Paul played a key role by scoring in the first leg of the quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund. However, Atletico Madrid were eliminated on aggregate, once again falling short of a semifinal appearance in Europe’s top club competition.
News
The 7-Word Jake Gyllenhaal Text That Quietly Challenged Henry Cavill For Months — “I Will Absolutely Destroy You In The Final Sprint.”
Henry Cavill’s competitive intensity on set has long been part of his Hollywood reputation, but during the production of In the…
The Hans Zimmer Masterpiece From 2013 That Henry Cavill Wants Played For His Firstborn Child: “This majestic flight melody represents my absolute deepest, unconditional fatherly love.”
As Henry Cavill prepares to embrace fatherhood alongside his partner Natalie Viscuso, the actor has revealed a deeply personal connection…
41 MILLION HEARTS SHATTERED — The Tribute Song No One Was Emotionally Ready To Hear
But few expected it to arrive with this much emotion. When Sidney Osbourne stood beside Zakk Wylde to release Never Say Goodbye, the reaction was…
THE ROAD TO EL DORADO (2027)
What if two broke con men from the streets of 1519 Seville stumbled into the greatest discovery in human history…
‘WE THOUGHT WE WERE READY… WE WERE WRONG.’ — Good Omens’ Final Episode Leaves Fans Emotionally Devastated As Viewers Call It One Of The Most Beautiful And Heartbreaking TV Endings In Years!The final-ever episode of Good Omens has finally aired — and fans across the world are admitting the emotional ending hit far harder than anyone expected. What began as a quirky fantasy full of chaos and humor suddenly transformed into a heartbreaking goodbye that viewers say “completely shattered” them by the final scenes.
The final-ever episode of Good Omens has officially arrived on Amazon Prime Video, closing out the story of Aziraphale and Crowley with a…
Heпry Cavill Shares Emotioпal Recovery Update After Weeks of Sileпce: “I Caппot Do It Aloпe”
Faпs aroυпd the world are breathiпg a sigh of relief after Heпry Cavill fiпally broke his sileпce followiпg weeks of…
End of content
No more pages to load
