De Paul’s Rise: From Racing to World Champion in Miami

The 1-1 draw between Inter Miami and the Chicago Fire was drifting toward a routine finish when tempers snapped. A late flashpoint turned a standard MLS night into something far more raw.

Robert Lewandowski and Ian Fray tangled first, shoving each other as frustration boiled over. Before the referee could fully step in, Rodrigo De Paul came flying into the frame. He went straight for Lewandowski, chest out, eyes locked, making it abundantly clear he would not let anyone lean on his teammate without an answer.

That brief, heated confrontation did more than liven up the closing minutes. It threw a harsh spotlight on De Paul, a player who spent 11 years in Europe before joining Lionel Messi in Miami and who has quietly built both a fierce reputation and a sizeable fortune.

From Racing to Miami: a career that paid off

De Paul’s financial rise mirrors his footballing climb. Celebrity Net Worth estimates his net worth at around $25 million. It is not an official balance sheet, but it reflects more than a decade of salaries, bonuses and endorsement deals gathered across Argentina, Spain, Italy and now the United States.

The clearest window into his current earnings comes from his Inter Miami deal. Figures published by the MLS Players Association list De Paul with a base salary of $7.57 million and roughly $9.69 million in guaranteed annual compensation for 2026. Only Lionel Messi and Son Heung-min earn more in MLS.

He did not reach those numbers overnight. De Paul started at Racing Club, the traditional launchpad in Argentina, then moved to Valencia. His time in Spain never fully caught fire, but a five-season spell with Udinese in Serie A changed everything. There, he rebuilt his reputation as a relentless, creative midfielder, the kind of player big clubs pay for.

Atlético Madrid eventually did just that, spending about €35 million to sign him in 2021. Four years later, Inter Miami invested around €14.5 million to bring him to MLS on a permanent deal. Those transfer fees went to his clubs, not directly into his bank account, but they chart the steady rise of his market value — and with it, his leverage in negotiating richer contracts.

Capology estimates that De Paul has earned close to $29.9 million in gross base salary across his career, not counting bonuses, endorsements or image rights. The true figure is higher, but exactly how much higher is hard to pin down.

World champion, but no public bonus numbers

His success with Argentina adds another layer. De Paul became one of Messi’s most trusted lieutenants on the international stage, a tireless presence in midfield as Argentina lifted the Copa América in 2021, repeated the feat in 2024 and captured the 2022 World Cup.

FIFA awarded the Argentine federation $42 million for winning that World Cup, but it never revealed how the money was split among the players. There are also no verified numbers for the bonuses De Paul received from Argentina’s federation for those Copa América triumphs. Any attempt to calculate his exact earnings from international duty drifts into guesswork.

What is clear is the contrast with Lewandowski, the man he confronted in Miami. The Polish striker has never won a major trophy with Poland, but his club résumé is stacked: a Champions League title, multiple Bundesliga championships, years as one of Europe’s most lethal scorers. De Paul’s pride runs along a different line. He is the engine next to Messi, the runner, the fighter, the protector — and now a world champion twice over in South America and once on the biggest stage of all.

Beyond the pitch: family, fashion and ink

Behind the combative exterior, there is a more intricate personal story. De Paul is the youngest of three sons born to Mónica Ferrarotti and Roberto De Paul. He has two children, Francesca and Bautista, from his former relationship with Camila Homs. In Argentina, his family life has often shared headlines with his football, his private world dissected almost as intensely as his performances.

His European chapter lasted roughly 11 years, from his 2014 move to Valencia until he left Atlético Madrid for Inter Miami in 2025. Those years shaped not only his game, but also his off-field interests. Away from training grounds and stadiums, he developed a strong taste for fashion and an enduring fascination with tattoos.

One piece of ink stands above the rest: the date of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, etched on his neck. It is not subtle. It is not meant to be. It is a permanent stamp of the night that defined his career.

So when he sprinted toward Lewandowski in that late-game scuffle, it was not just a teammate rushing to a teammate. It was the embodiment of the player he has spent a decade becoming — a multimillionaire midfielder who still leads with instinct, loyalty and a willingness to fight for the shirt beside him.