Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has this week moved to reveal his appreciation for the talents of fellow countryman Nico Paz. This comes after midfielder Paz was afforded his first-ever senior appearance for the Argentine national team.
Lionel Scaloni’s troops marked their return to action in the early hours of Wednesday, locking horns with Bolivia in a qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. When all was said and done, the Albiceleste ran riot, en route to an eventual 6-0 triumph.
It was the aforementioned Lionel Messi who proved himself the star of the show, directly contributing to five goals, courtesy of a hat-trick, and two assists.
During Messi’s exchange with the media on the back of the full-time whistle in Buenos Aires, though, it was the name of young teammate Paz which took its place front and centre. Paz was introduced off the bench late on against Bolivia, and marked his international debut with an assist, amid a fine display.
“Nico Paz has an incredible mindset, and that’s why he is where he is,” Messi began, as cited by Fabrizio Romano. “Nico has a lot of quality and understands the game perfectly. He has an incredible mindset, and he’s with Cesc Fabregas as his coach who is my friend and will help him grow a lot.”
Paz’s senior bow with Argentina came as a richly-deserved one for the 20-year-old. After making the brave decision to part ways with La Liga champions Real Madrid during the summer, Paz has since gone from strength to strength, in Serie A with Como. So much so that, according to reports, the powers that be back at Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on their ex-midfield starlet, with a view to a potential return down the line. Los Blancos included a buyback option in their summer agreement with Como.
