Just like in many South American countries, numerous kids in Argentina turn to football as a way out of poverty, and Rodrigo, the son of Monica Ferrarotti and Roberto De Paul, is one of them. From the age of three, it was clear to everyone in De Paul’s family that he was obsessed with the sport. Besides his two brothers, Damian and Guido, Rodrigo spent a lot of time with his grandfather, Osvaldo, who played a crucial role in laying the foundation for his career. Osvaldo recognized what was best for his grandson and helped him enrol at Racing Club, a football academy. This article delves into Rodrigo De Paul’s untold background, revealing more than what you see on the football pitch. In essence, it is the complete history of a footballer known worldwide as Lionel Messi’s bodyguard on the pitch.
The Rise of Rodrigo De Paul: From Humble Beginnings to Football Stardom
Embark on the captivating journey of Rodrigo De Paul, a tale that begins in the bustling streets of SarandÃ, Argentina, and unfolds on the grand stages of international football. With a story deeply rooted in family ties, guided by the influence of his mother, Monica De Paul, and enriched by his relationship with Camilla Homs, Rodrigo’s life off the pitch is as compelling as his performances on it.
This narrative delves into his beginnings, exploring the dreams, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped him into the renowned midfielder he is today, revealing the man behind the fame through his personal life, lifestyle choices, and the path to his net worth. To whet your biography appetite, here is his boyhood to adulthood gallery — a perfect intro to Rodrigo De Paul’s Biography.
The Rise of Rodrigo De Paul: From Humble Beginnings to Football Stardom.
Yes, we all remember his crucial long pass in the 2021 Copa America, which set up Angel di Maria to score the goal that won the title for Argentina. Hence, he became a significant contributor to his country, winning the title for the first time since 1993. Sadly, many football fans know only a few facts about one of the five breakout stars of 2021 Copa America. We’ve prepared a concise piece of his engaging memoir, which you will find interesting. Without much ado, let’s begin.
Rodrigo De Paul Childhood Story:
For Autobiography enthusiasts, his nickname is ‘Lechuga’. Rodrigo Javier de Paul was born on the 24th of May, the year 1994, to his father, Roberto De Paul, and mother, Monica Ferrarotti, in the city of SarandÃ, Argentina.
The footballer is the youngest of three children born of the union between his parents. You won’t believe it! His 60-year-old mother still looks as though she is in her early 40s. Look at her gorgeous picture below and judge for yourself.
Meet one of his parents, Monica De Paul. Indeed, he has inherited the beauty of her smiling face.
Over the years, many kids have taken football as an escape route from poverty in Argentina, and Rodrigo is one of them. He was only 3 when he became obsessed with soccer.
As expected, the young lad started his expedition by playing street soccer with his friends. He was often forced to play as a goalkeeper – a position that he so much detested in his childhood. But he later switched from being a goalkeeper to playing in the midfield.
Growing Up Days:
De Paul grew up in his hometown with his two brothers, Guido De and Damian Paul. As a young boy, he dedicated many hours to training, guided by his grandfather, Osvaldo.
Back then, Monica, his mother, was always busy with work and had no time to take the young lad to the field. Hence, his grandpa stepped in and ensured that De Paul received the best training he could get on the pitch.
A throwback picture of his growing up days with his grandparents.
Rodrigo De Paul Family Background:
Unfortunately, the Argentine Midfielder comes from a broken home. Rodrigo’s parents divorced when he was a child. Roberto remarried, but Monica did not. In the absence of his father, Rodrigo De Paul’s mother had to work very hard to take care of her menage. Monica is a strong woman who has a good financial education. With her earnings, the family of De Paul faired comfortably like all average households.
Interestingly, every member of his menage shares a strong bond that helps them rely on each other. Perhaps the secret behind their survival in the poor economy of Argentina is their togetherness and contentment.
Rodrigo De Paul Family Origin:
While everyone thinks he is fully Argentine, research has shown that Rodrigo’s mother is of Italian descent, and that is what has earned him Italian citizenship. From an Argentine viewpoint, the footballer comes from a city that is widely known for its leather industry and tanning process. His place of origin suffered from the pollution that resulted from their industrial activities.
Despite his achievements, De Paul remains a proud citizen of Argentina and a devoted native of Sarandi. His hometown is just a 12-minute drive from Lanus, the birthplace of the Argentine legend Diego Maradona.
The map shows the province (Buenos Aires) where his hometown (Sarandi) is located.
Rodrigo De Paul Education:
While analyzing different facts about his biography, we realize that all that surrounds his life since childhood was nothing else but football. Rather than talking about his educational experience, De Paul preferred to reveal truths about his soccer encounter. Even though it was never mentioned if he attended any school, we suspect that his parents must have ensured he received a formal education.
Football Story:
It is the dream of every child in Argentina to excel in football and escape from its impoverished economy. Hence, the young boy passionately delved into playing football with his peers.
As mentioned earlier, he started as a goalkeeper but never lasted in the position. Subsequently, Rodrigo moved from the rear and played as a midfielder for his team.
It didn’t take much time before his grandfather figured out it was best to have him join an academy. Hence, he enrolled the 8-year Rodrigo at Racing Club’s youth setup in 2002.
He may look quite small, but he was an influential kid in the ranks of his youth academy.
Early Career Life:
Guess what?… The talented Rodrigo De Paul spent ten years as a junior in his youth club. During those periods, he went through rigorous training and performed excellently in several matches.
He somehow outclassed many players in different matches.
It took him loads of patience before receiving his first call-up to the senior squad in 2012. Yet again, he remained an unused substitute and didn’t make any professional performance until February 2013.
Throughout his 54 senior appearances for Racing Club, Rodrigo scored only six goals. That did not restrict scouts from rating his exceptional playmaking abilities on the pitch.
Rodrigo De Paul Biography – Road To Fame Story:
During his days in the Argentine professional league, the dribbler dreamt of moments he would become as successful as Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala.
Thankfully, his dreams became a reality as he joined Valencia for a 5-year deal worth US$6.5 million in 2014. Do you know?… Rodrigo only played for one minute before he was sent off the pitch for fouling Aleix Vidal in his La Liga debut.
The sad memory of his debut appearance in La Liga.
Subsequently, he showcased his dominance in the midfield for his Spanish club.
However, His best wasn’t good enough for the team as he was sent on loan to his former club in February 2016.
Success Story:
The playmaker made his move to the Italian League when he transferred to Udinese in July 2016. There, he quickly gained recognition, competing alongside players like Papu Gomez and Lautaro Martinez.
It took little time before Rodrigo proved himself to be a jewel amongst the exceptional Udinese players. He even became the highest goal scorer of his team in the 2018-19 season.
Contribution To Argentina’s 2021 Copa America Win:
As he continues to impress fans, he, alongside Lisandro Martinez, Leandro Parades, Gonzalo Montiel, etc, was called up by Lionel Scaloni to play for Argentina in the 2021 Copa America.
During the finals, De Paul gave a brilliant long pass that set an opportunity for Angel di Maria to score the winning goal.
At that glorious moment, the world stood in awe of the low-rated player, who fans immediately appraised as being at the level of elites like Mauro Icardi. Winning Copa America became one of the biggest career successes in his biography.
The most glorious moment thus far in his career as of July 2021.
De Paul’s exceptionality quickly attracted Diego Simeone, who made a move to secure him in Atletico Madrid’s armoury. After proper consultation, he signed a €35 million 5-year contract with the Spanish club in July 2021. The rest, as they say, is history.
About Camilla Homs – Rodrigo De Paul’s Girlfriend:
Being able to find a person you click with so naturally is the best feeling ever. In the case of De Paul, the one person who makes him feel so comfortable is his girlfriend, Camilla Homs. She is the definition of his soulmate.
Here is a picture of De Paul and his girlfriend, Camilla Homs; indeed, they make a perfect couple together.
It would interest you to know that the dribbler has indeed threaded upon similar paths as Lionel Messi. Yes, he had stuck with only one partner from his teenage days to when he became famous.
Even after a long while, his love for Camilla Homs never lost its alluring beauty. In fact, De Paul and his girlfriend continued to nurture so many happy memories. Over and over again, we’ve seen his partner support him from the sidelines. Sadly, after twelve years of being together, De Paul’s relationship with Camila Homs came to an end. He moved on with dating Argentine singer Tini from August 2021 to August 2023.
Rodrigo De Paul Children:
Their enduring relationship has stood the test of time, and now, the couple has a legacy to complement their love story. In 2019, they welcomed their daughter Francesca into the world.
See how beautiful his daughter (Francesca) looks. I am sure you just can’t take your eyes off her!
According to the playmaker, his daughter’s existence has positively changed his life for good.
He became happier and got a taste of parental responsibility when she arrived. Behold a happy moment shared with De Paul and his family.
Personal Life away from soccer:
You probably got to know the dribbler after seeing him put up an outstanding display in Copa America. Having seen him from a career perspective, you might want to find other facts about him outside football.
First, his persona is a blend of the Gemini zodiac traits. He is intelligent, inquisitive, and a brilliant thinker. Of course, De Paul always has some moments alone when he thinks about his journey so far in life.
Another fact about him is that he enjoys watching lawn tennis games. More so, it is one of his favourite hobbies, which he loves to play whenever he is privileged.
He spends some of his free time learning how to play lawn tennis.
Rodrigo De Paul Lifestyle:
Rather than publicly revealing his exotic cars and big houses like Nicolas Otamendi, the midfielder prefers to display details of his holiday life. The truth is, De Paul spends most of his spare time visiting beaches all by himself or with family members. He considers it as a way of recharging his energy. Occasionally, he posts different exciting pictures of the memories he made at the beach.
One special moment with his family. Of course, his smile reflects how much he will continue to cherish this memory.
Rodrigo De Paul Family Facts:
Having a supportive household that watches out for his best interest is one of the greatest blessings of his life. Of course, his fans wouldn’t have known him if his parents (especially his mother) hadn’t stood by him in his career pursuit. Hence, we present you with some facts about every member of his family.
About Rodrigo De Paul’s Father:
For some undisclosed reasons, the Argentine star hasn’t mentioned his dad’s name since he became famous. Perhaps he wasn’t as fortunate as Sergio Aguero, who enjoyed the paternal care of his father. According to a comment source, Rodrigo’s father is not anonymous. Roberto De Paul is on good terms with his three sons.
About Rodrigo De Paul’s Mother:
It’s commonly said that when your youngest child achieves fame and success, your role as a mother is fulfilled. Similarly, De Paul’s mother, Monica Ferrarotti, has experienced the satisfaction of nurturing her youngest child to success. She has been dedicated to supporting her entire family, as mentioned earlier in this biography.
Meet his mother, Monica De Paul. You can easily tell that she is his number 1 fan.
There was never a moment when her son needed her support that he wouldn’t get it. She is a strong woman who goes the extra mile to help her children succeed in their endeavours. Despite all the stress of working hard, Monica De Paul still looks young and beautiful.
About Rodrigo De Paul’s Siblings:
Having two elder brothers whom he always relies upon for support makes his childhood quite adventurous. Their names are Damian and Guido De Paul. Even though they aren’t as famous as their little brother, each of them is doing well in their endeavours.
He has always enjoyed moments of blissfulness with his brothers, Damian and Guido De Paul.
In one of De Paul’s Instagram posts, he acknowledged how his siblings had been impactful in his life journey. Indeed, they are the reason he never considers giving up on his dreams.
About Rodrigo De Paul’s Relatives:
You probably didn’t know that the talented player spent most of his youthful days with his extended family. As we’ve already mentioned, he received his earliest football training from his grandfather, Osvaldo.
An intriguing detail is that his grandmother also attends their training sessions on the pitch. Sadly, De Paul’s grandfather did not live to see his grandson become a professional footballer. He passed away in 2009, just three years before De Paul achieved significant success in soccer.
Upon the demise of his old man, his grandmother stepped in to handle the duties that her late husband had passed on. She was so close to De Paul and loved to always encourage him in his endeavours.
This is how he saves all the happy moments he spends with his grandma.
Untold Facts:
To wrap up our engaging biography of the prolific playmaker, here are exciting realities that would help you grasp his Life Story accurately.
Net Worth and Salary Break Down:
We all know that soccer has given a great level of wealth to so many athletes, and De Paul is not left out. As I compile this biography, he has amassed an estimated Net Worth of €8 Million.
Before moving to Atletico Madrid, the iconic athlete earned an annual salary of €1.87 million with Udinese. His base salary with his club has not yet been revealed.
It would interest you to know that an average Argentinian citizen will have to work for 32 years to make what he earns in a month with Udinese. We’ve strategically put up an analysis of De Paul’s salary as the clock ticks.
Rodrigo De Paul Tattoos:
The Argentine considers his body as the perfect tool to record the success of his career expedition. More so, he has inked many tattoos on his body that explain his accomplishments and the people who have propelled him to achieve them.
His body art includes the name of his daughter, baby mama, grandfather, and mother. It also comprises the date of his first game with Argentina, his boyhood portrait, and a beautifully tattooed Lion.
Check out the beautiful pieces of tattoos he has on his body.
I think I’m not going to stop inking unless I become the world champion. In that case, I will get a tattoo of the World Cup on my chest!”
Rodrigo De Paul Religion:
Are you aware?… He is amongst the 62.9% of Christians in Argentina who are practicing Catholics. Of course, De Paul was born and raised in a Christian home.
It was always a norm for his mother and grandparents to wear the Rosary wherever they go and even when taking pictures. Their profound devotion as Catholics rubbed off on their children and helped them find their part regarding religious matters.
Incident Between De Paul And Messi After Copa America Win:
While the entire Argentina team was singing songs of victory, the talented dribbler tried to raise a song that would mock Brazil (the host country). However, his captain, Lionel Messi, stepped in and stopped him from singing offensive chants against Brazil.
FIFA Stats:
According to his 2021 ratings, De Paul still has a long way to go before he can catch up to the likes of İlkay Gündoğan and Toni Kroos. He’s got excellent skills that qualify him as an iconic playmaker. However, he would need to work on his goal-scoring instinct and power.
He has amazing stats, so there is no doubt about that.
Conclusion:
Aside from Rodrigo De Paul’s Biography, we have other related childhood biography stories for your reading pleasure. The Life History of these Argentines – Julian Alvarez, World Cup Hero Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez will interest you.
Finally, we must acknowledge De Paul’s mother and grandparents for their unwavering support throughout his journey to stardom. He consistently expresses gratitude to his family for helping him realize his childhood dreams. Thank you for reading our engaging piece on Rodrigo De Paul’s biography, known as Lionel Messi’s self-acclaimed Bodyguard.
