Rodrigo de Paul: “I live in a golden prison”

“It’s hard to be a superstar.” Rodrigo de Paul He has spoken loud and clear on ‘Luzu TV’ about the B side of being a professional footballer. When we talk about footballers we assume that their life is perfect: luxuries, travel, a stratospheric salary and all the necessary comforts. But money sometimes does not bring happiness, although in certain cases it can bring us closer to it.

Some footballers have already opened up by talking about the mental health problems that high-level players can suffer due to the great demands they have. This time it was the midfielder of the Inter Miami the one who wanted to raise his voice about what is not seen.

“You gain many things, but you are deprived of enjoying them because your life does not allow you to be in the places you want.” The Argentine stated that “the most valuable thing is time”, but that he has not celebrated a birthday with his mother, his brothers or his friends for ten years.

The former Atlético de Madrid player is clear about one thing, and that is that he missed a very important stage: his youth. He states that “yes, I have free time, but I can’t visit when I want.”

A fact that in many cases destabilizes the lives of footballers are the constant changes to which they must adapt. Some spend their entire career at the same club; others, however, rotate more frequently. This not only means changing their sporting environment, it also means moving house, changing environment, moving your family or, if you have them, taking your children to another school. In the end, you leave everything without looking back to move forward in search of your future. Rodrigo de Paul has passed through Racing Club de Avellaneda, Valencia, returned to Racing Club, continued at Udinese Calcio, was at Atlético de Madrid and is now at Inter Miami. After so much instability, the Argentine declared that “the social part is difficult, I leave training and maybe I’m alone. It’s hard.”

The clearest graphic representation of this situation is the one that Rodrigo de Paul himself commented: “I live in a golden prison.” Some will understand; others, after knowing the money he earns, will not understand it. Sometimes, to reach the big clubs you not only have to have enough quality, but also the mental capacity to face everything that will come.