Paulo Dybala concedes he was wrong to publicly criticise Lionel Messi though says they have now made up, while he has explained how Cristiano Ronaldo’s personality surprised him.
The Juve forward is currently self-isolating at his home in Italy after testing positive for the coronavirus, though is feeling better now.
Remarkably, despite how prolific he is in the Italian league, Dybala only has two goals in 29 matches for Argentina.
Last summer, he said it was ‘difficult’ playing alongside Messi because he had to adapt his own game to give the Barca man a starring role, and he now concedes that he should not have said in public.
‘My words about him? I should have said it differently,’ said Paulo Dybala in an interview with the Argentina national team website.
‘There were people who wanted to understand it with bad intention. I never tried to criticize a partner, I just wanted to improve something that was happening.
‘I would have liked to give more to Argentina and achieve better results both in the group and on a personal level.
‘Even I spoke with Leo, because both of us are very similar tactically. Even with [manager Lionel] Scaloni we worked so that we did not clash on the pitch.’
Dybala is one of the few players to play with both Messi and Ronaldo – who he has struck up a good relationship at Juventus.
He continued: ‘None of us knew him personally, but as soon as he arrived we discovered an excellent guy, very sociable and always available. I was really surprised, obviously in a positive way.
‘During a trip I said to him, “In Argentina we dislike you a little for the way you are sometimes, but as far as I’m concerned, I met a different person. You surprised me.” He laughed and replied: “I am as I am. I am used to receiving these criticisms.”’
