The world seems to be at Paulo Dybala’s feet. The 22-year-old Argentine is lighting up Serie A to the tune of 14 goals and eight assists in 29 games. That is a staggering sum considering his age, and that he is in his first year at a new club, Juventus.
Dybala’s form has corresponded to on-field success for Juventus. The club may have just been eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich (Dybala missed the second leg because of a swollen soleus muscle) but it has won 19 out of its past 20 league matches and catapulted from 12th place to first in the process. Dybala has scored 10 and assisted six of the 43 goals (37 percent) Juventus has scored during its unbeaten run.
Dybala’s abilities have caught the attention of his soon-to-be teammate for Argentina, Lionel Messi. According to ESPNFC, Messi has described Dybala as “a worthy successor to his place in the national team.”
Dybala was flattered by Messi’s praise.
"To have an idol in a player like Messi, and to have him say these things makes me proud," Dybala told El Chiringuito.
"I want to say that I'm working well, doing good things and that I have to continue down this road."
Paulo Dybala has joined Messi and the Argentinian national team for the international break, and will likely take the field with Messi for the first time in a competitive match.
Argentina will face Chile on March 24th at 7:30 pm EST, and Bolivia on March 29th at the same time.
Dybala (right) and Paul Pogba (left) are lighting up Serie A for Juventus. Photo: @wholefootball | Twitter
The road that Dybala has travelled so far has been quite impressive. He made his professional debut with Instituto Atletico Central Cordoba in the Argentine second division at the age of 17. After a 17-goal season with Instituto, he moved to Palermo in Serie A.
Palermo Club President Maurizio Zamparini announced him as “the new Sergio Aguero” upon arrival and while Dybala showed flashes of living up to that moniker at Palermo with 21 goals in 90 games, Juventus is where he has truly shown he deserves such high regards.
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