Mask Off: Paulo Dybala's Clutch Performance Saves the Day for Argentina

[Editor's Note: The interview took place before Dybala suffered a season-ending injury in March 2025.]

The distance from Laguna Larga, a tiny town in Argentina’s Córdoba province, where Paulo Dybala was born on November 15, 1993, to Doha, Qatar, spans approximately 8,540 miles. It was here in Doha that the forward encountered some of the most significant highlights of his professional journey.

A surprising football odyssey began on the local Laguna Larga field, where fans perched on tire seats and cooked near the goal area. This path led Dybala to Doha in 2016 for the Italian Supercoppa final with Juventus. During that match, the penalty kick proved crucial when La Joya—his moniker translating to "The Jewel"—missed the deciding shot from the spot. Following this setback, he chose to commemorate every subsequent goal by placing his hands over his cheeks beneath his eyes, resembling a gladiator mask—a gesture which became widely imitated globally and closely linked with him ever since.

“When we fight sometimes we wear a warrior’s mask to be stronger, without losing our smile and kindness. A personal symbol, an emblem of challenge …  a superhero’s mask to make a mark in stadiums and beyond,” Dybala told UEFA.com .

One mask after another, Dybala emerged as one of the most gifted footballers of his era, claiming multiple titles with Juventus before capturing the affections of Roma fans who chant his name at the Stadio Olimpico. It’s love at first glance in the Eternal City, where he fits right into a city known for its gladiatorial spirit.

Midway through his career, he experienced a pivotal halt—a momentous pause that was beyond his wildest dreams when he departed from Argentina to sign with Palermo at the age of eighteen. Now, once more, he finds himself in the finale held in Doha. Again, under pressure, he faces another crucial penalty shot but this time representing Argentina during the ultimate match of the World Cup atop the world stage of sports.

“I knew that [Argentina manager Lionel] Scaloni put me in just to take the penalty,” Dybala says. “The pressure was immense, because you’re either a hero or a villain and if you miss, everyone will remember you for playing two minutes and missing the penalty.”

However, prior to successfully converting a key penalty. assist in wrapping up the World Cup Dybala highlights a crucial turning point. According to him, his journey in Qatar did not begin in November during Argentina’s initial game, but rather two months prior when he was recuperating from a hamstring injury.

“I was dealing with an injury and I had five games left. I didn’t want to waste a single day without being able to recover,” Dybala says. “So when I learned the extent of my injury I talked to people who worked with me. We formed a group and said that we had to find a way to recover as quickly as possible. I mean, what [recovery] machines do we need to use, what kind of diet? We worked on everything. I used to sleep with a machine in order to be ready and I had four machines at home. I used them on a daily basis.”

Like legendary Roma captain Francesco Totti in 2006, who managed to recover from a broken fibula in less than three months for Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning run, Dybala’s dedication saw recovery in time to be named in the provisional list of 29 players for Argentina’s pre-World Cup camp. However, he didn’t know he’d be part of the final squad until just days before the tournament.

We were practicing in the United Arab Emirates when our coach delivered a talk stating that he would personally notify three players who wouldn’t be part of the final roster since he needed to select just 26," explains Dybala. "Once his speech concluded, I realized I could be among those three left out. The thought made me anxious as I worried about being excluded.

“Then, I saw him walking toward me, and I thought, I'm out. But he came up to me and said, ‘Train calmly, you're staying.’ I think I lost two or three kilos at that moment. It was a huge personal joy because I felt that all the effort and sacrifices I had made for a month—being meticulous with every little detail—had been rewarded. I knew how much was at stake, and we were all 100% convinced we could win the World Cup.”

However, the 2022 World Cup began more like a horror movie than a fairytale for Argentina. Saudi Arabia stunned Lionel Messi and the world with a 2–1 win In what could be considered the most shocking upset in World Cup history, this dramatic downfall implied that should Argentina lose their subsequent game against Mexico, they would find themselves out of contention. Following an uneasy opening period, two goals scored in the second half secured Argentina's win. , guiding the squad to adopt a slogan that propelled Argentina throughout the competition: " Chicos, ahora hemos recuperado nuestra esperanza, deseo ganar el tercer título, quiero convertirme en campeón mundial. ." Now we're back to feeling excited; I want to secure the third World Cup for Argentina, I desire to become the world champion."

Defeating Mexico was among the key instances that boosted our confidence," states Dybala. "Once Leo found the back of the net and subsequently Enzo secured the victory, we felt certain about qualifying since we believed winning against Poland was within reach.

However, for most of the tournament, Dybala remained an observer, only coming into play during the 74th minute of the semifinal against Croatia.

Playing football is insane because even during the World Cup in Russia, I had my initial match against Croatia," Dybala states. "The first encounter stood out as it began with us trailing 2-0, whereas this time around, we took the lead early on which allowed me to enjoy it much more. Being present there and realizing there wasn’t a game going on really makes you reflect. this is ours. ”

The 3–0 victory in the semifinals returned Argentina to the World Cup final, eight years later. failing against Germany in the World Cup championship match At the Maracanã in Brazil. Only 90 more minutes stand between them and everlasting fame.

It marked the end of a challenging year for Dybala, who departed Juventus with tears after seven seasons and five Serie A titles, along with four Coppa Italia wins and two Italian Super Cups.

Being part of Juventus is not just about playing; it's a lifestyle, and professionally, you develop significantly since even drawing is seen as losing. Throughout the week, everyone works intensely on all fronts," explains Dybala. "Hearing from leaders such as Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli, and Leonardo Bonucci in the locker room certainly aids your growth. Many times, standing in the tunnel waiting to enter the pitch, we overheard our opponents, sensing their thoughts: Today, we're destined for defeat, but let's aim to keep the margin as narrow as possible. That reflects the grandeur of the club."

Football careers seldom follow a predetermined path, and Dybala’s took an unexpected turn due to a single phone call during the summer of 2022, just prior to the World Cup. The caller was none other than renowned coach José Mourinho, who aimed to bring Dybala to AS Roma.

At that moment, everything seemed quite bizarre—the ambiguity about where I was supposed to perform, what exactly would occur, or whether I might have to depart from Italy, which feels almost like my second home," Dybala explains. "It’s been around 12 or 13 years since I arrived here, and truthfully, I likely know more about Italy at this juncture than I do about Argentina.

“I remember that at the time, I wanted to wait a little, take a pause. I was in Turin, at home. One day, one of my agents came to me and said that Mourinho wanted to talk to me. Of course, Mourinho is special—he’s a coach who has won everything, someone unique. I couldn’t just ignore his call. But I knew he was going to convince me, which is why I wanted to wait.

For our initial meeting, we engaged in a great discussion; it lasted quite some time, yet he refrained from pressuring me for an instant response. However, the following day, he wished to reach out again, so I requested a few hours to discuss things with my family and spouse. After consulting with them as well as my team, I decided to sign with Roma. Once this choice was finalized, I messaged him stating 'looking forward to seeing you soon.' That concluded our arrangement.

As the saying goes, all roads lead to Rome, which welcomes everyone, but not in the same way. More than a simple welcome, Giallorossi fans’ reception for Dybala was a coronation as more than 20,000 people gathered to hail him in front of Colosseo Quadrato It was evident that the newly crowned emperor of Rome wasn't originally from Rome as Totti or Daniele De Rossi were, but instead was Argentinean just like the Pope, offering hope once more to AS Roma’s supporters.

“It was one of the few times in my life where my legs were actually shaking a little,” Dybala says. “We play football in front of 50,000 or 60,000 people, and that’s normal. But they come to watch a spectacle, to see the game. But at that moment, the crowd was there only for me. I didn't expect that kind of reception. The fans truly surprised me. It was something beautiful, a unique moment in my life and career. And in that moment, I knew that I would have to work twice as hard to give back all the love they had shown me on that day."

He would return Roma’s affection for him on the field with flair (scoring 42 goals and providing 22 assists, along with earning four Serie A Player of the Month awards), all while guiding Roma to the Europa League final in 2023. Later, when his loyalty was put to the test last summer, he rejected a proposal from Saudi Arabia valued at over $80 million to stay wearing the Giallorossi jersey.

I won't sugarcoat it; these numbers definitely spark reflection," Dybala states. "However, the reality is that I'm extremely content living in Rome, and so is my entire family. My spouse plays an essential role in my life, and their joy means everything to me as well. If you were to inquire with my mom, she would be the last person wanting me to depart.

“I’ve had a great career and the love I’m receiving from Roma, from the fans from the club, the owners and from the people in the streets, I don’t know if I’d get that anywhere else. When you put anything on the scale you have to go with what weighs the most, and that’s why we decided to stay in Rome.”

Before rejecting the Saudi proposal, an important decision needed addressing—a choice that might have rewritten the nation’s soccer legacy and immortalized its athletes. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, which seemed almost sealed at halftime due to early scores by Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María, everything changed in the latter stages. With just under ten minutes left, Kylian Mbappe stunned Argentina by scoring twice, marking this as perhaps the most spectacular World Cup finale ever witnessed.

During additional playtime, history seems to loop: Messi finds the back of the net, thenMbappe promptly responds yet again, causing Messi to stand midway with an expression of astonishment. Then, at the 121-minute mark, Scaloni introduces Dybala onto the pitch for what turns out to be two adrenaline-fueled minutes. Initially, Argentine keeper Emiliano Martínez pulls off the most important save in Argentina history and prevents Randal Kolo Muani from scoring what looked like a sure winner.

A minute later, Mbappé receives the last ball of the game on the left side outside the box. Everyone inside the Lusail Stadium is waiting for the final whistle, while Mbappé is looking to end the match. He gets past three defenders and when he is inside the box seeking his fourth goal of the night, Dybala flies in and clears the last ball of the game At that instant, you don't get the chance to ponder over it. Afterward, when I viewed it again, I wasn't even aware of why I was present.

Then, a penalty kick shootout to decide the world champion. Dybala’s walk toward the penalty spot is just under a minute. He doesn’t kiss the ball like he usually does to mimic his idol, Argentina legend Riquelme. Instead, he is a model of focus in front of a wall of Argentina fans, frozen in silence, ready to burst into tears one way or another.

I've always taken penalties. I was certain I would come on for this," Dybala states. "I was completely concentrated. After seeing [Kingsley] Coman miss, I recalled what Dibu [Emiliano Martínez] told Enzo Fernández prior to the penalties against the Netherlands: If I successfully save a penalty for us, the next player has to take the subsequent penalty kick from the center. This puts immense pressure on the opposing goalie who will likely dive. No one wants to appear foolish standing alone in the middle during a World Cup match. .

“I was certain I needed to head towards the center. There wasn't an ounce of doubt. I grabbed the ball and placed it at the penalty spot. I knew exactly my next move.”

Straight down the center. Goal. Argentina takes the lead. Dybala strolls back to his team mates with a grin: "Later, I talked to Dibu and mentioned how I recalled his guidance."

Next, France’s Aurélien Tchouaméni fails to convert, but Leandro Paredes makes it for Argentina. "When Leandro scored, we glanced at one another knowing we had become world champions."

One remains. Gonzalo Montiel directs the ball past the goalkeeper for the victory. The Argentinians are overjoyed, and their anthem turns into truth following a 36-year anticipation: "Quiero ganar la tercera, quiero ser campeón mundial," chants the audience. Dybala collapses onto the turf weeping: “It was wonderful. I simply aimed to relish every moment since, well, life moves quickly.”

He searches for Messi and pulls him into an embrace: "I told Leo how thrilled I was not just for him but also for me. At the start of my career, I watched every single Barcelona match. Everybody aimed to emulate him. He always put his all into playing for Argentina."

Afterward, Dybala plants a kiss on the trophy and gazes upward, remembering his late father, who passed away in 2008. Nearly 13,000 kilometers distant from Laguna Larga, Dybala finds himself atop the world. This triumph marks the first time since his previous visit to Doha that he can celebrate without concealing his joy behind a mask.