"Atletico helped me become a world champion"

Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, recently signed by Inter Miami, said on Friday that he had always dreamed of playing alongside his compatriot Lionel Messi at club level, and that this desire motivated his departure from Atlético Madrid for MLS.

"Lionel and I always dreamed of playing together at a club, to be together every day. Every time we met up with the national team, our daily interactions were incredible," the Argentine midfielder said at his first press conference as an Inter Miami player following his debut in the 2-1 victory over Mexican side Atlas.

De Paul signed for 'The Herons' a week ago, stating that while he received several offers from European teams, the prospect of reuniting with Messi proved the decisive factor in his decision.

"I wanted the opportunity to play every day with the greatest player of all time. It was a dream we had long discussed, and the opportunity arose quite suddenly," he said.

However, he expressed his gratitude to Atlético Madrid, stating that they always had the 'final say' over his transfer and that they allowed him 'to become a world champion' with Argentina.

"Obviously, I would have loved to win a title with Atlético Madrid. When I joined, I had that dream. I think we came close, but it wasn't achieved," he lamented regarding his departure from Diego Simeone's team.