Rodrigo de Paul

Audi Q5


The Argentinian midfielder came from humble beginnings before he got his first big break with Racing Club. This throwback picture shows a an ambitious, hardworking young man riding into training on the wheels of his most prized possession, the Audi Q5.

Hailing from Bueno Aires, Argentina, Lechuga joined Racing Club's youth academy in 2002 as an eight-year old, and over a decade later he would make his debut for Racing as a second half substitute in a 3-0 defeat. Albeit not a fairytale start, things would only keep getting better from there on out. The summer of 2014 marked a major milestone as Lechuga moved to Europe to join La Liga club Valencia, another move in 2016 took the Argentinian to Italy to play for Serie A club Udinese. He endured himself to fans right away by scoring in a 2-1 win against giants AC Milan. The platform was set and the playmaker was quick to establish himself as an indispensable part of the first-team. He amassed 134 appearances, scoring and assisting 70 goals over a five-year span. Lechuga’s crowning moment, however, came in the 2021 Copa America as he was instrumental in La Albiceleste's successful campaign. In the final match against arch-rivals Brazil, it was his assist for Angel Di Maria’s goal which culminated in silverware for Argentina, the country’s first since 1993. In July 2021, he signed for Atlético Madrid on a five-year deal.