For Argentina, tonight’s matchup against Switzerland is not just about advancing. It is also another checkpoint in the larger De Paul debate: how much confidence Lionel Scaloni still has in a midfielder whose World Cup has not quite matched expectations.
The immediate answer is straightforward. Rodrigo De Paul was expected to start against Switzerland. That matters because he had been subbed off multiple times during the World Cup, a sign that his role had already become a talking point rather than a certainty. In a knockout path that could lead toward the semifinals, Argentina can afford few mysteries in midfield.
What De Paul’s expected start means
De Paul’s place in the lineup suggests Scaloni still sees him as part of the solution, even if the performances have been below expectations. That is the balance Argentina are trying to manage. De Paul is still trusted enough to start, but the recent pattern has shown that trust is not unconditional. If the match becomes stretched, or if Argentina need more control in the middle, his role will be watched closely.
The deeper question is not only whether De Paul is playing tonight against Switzerland. It is what kind of formation Lionel Scaloni will use, and how much of the midfield structure is built around stability versus flexibility. A starter’s status does not erase the concerns that have built up during the tournament. It simply means Scaloni believes De Paul can still help solve them.
That is where this match becomes interesting. In a World Cup setting, a player can be both important and under pressure at the same time. De Paul appears to be in that category now: still in the starting conversation, still central to Argentina’s plans, but no longer operating with the comfort of a player whose place is unquestioned.
Against Switzerland, the result will matter most. But the lineup decision around De Paul will tell us something too. Argentina are not just choosing a midfielder for one game. They are deciding how much of their semifinal path they want to trust to a player whose World Cup has so far raised more questions than answers.
