Paulo Dybala (Part 1)

Paulo Exequiel Dybala, born on November 15, 1993, is an Argentine professional footballer renowned for his role as an attacking midfielder or winger. He currently plays for Serie A club Roma and represents the Argentina national team. Dybala is widely recognized for his exceptional dribbling skills, speed, and goal-scoring prowess.


Known as during his prime, Dybala embarked on his senior club career in 2011 with Instituto de Córdoba. He later joined Palermo in 2012 at the age of 18, where he contributed to winning a Serie B title. In 2015, Dybala transferred to Juventus, where he achieved significant success, winning five league titles and four Coppas Italia. He was also honored with the Serie A Most Valuable Player award during the season when Juventus secured its record 9th consecutive Serie A title. Dybala has been named in the Serie A Team of the Year on four occasions and holds the distinction of being Juventus' ninth-highest all-time goalscorer. In 2022, he made a move to Roma.Dybala made his senior international debut for Argentina in 2015 at the age of 21. Since then, he has earned over 30 caps for his national team, representing Argentina at major tournaments such as the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 2019 Copa América, and 2022 World Cup, where he clinched the title with his team.


On April 29, 2012, US Città di Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini made a bold statement by likening the newly signed Paulo Dybala to the renowned Argentine striker Sergio Agüero. However, Instituto's general secretary José Teaux refuted the claim, stating that the negotiator lacked the authority to sell Dybala. Despite this, Palermo officially announced Dybala's signing on July 20, 2012, confirming a four-year deal with the Sicilian club. The transfer fee was reported to be €8.64 million, according to the club's financial records.
Dybala made his debut for Palermo in a Serie A match against Lazio. His first goals in Italian football came on November 11, 2012, when Palermo secured a 2–0 victory against Sampdoria at home, with Dybala scoring both goals. His breakout season occurred during the 2014–15 Serie A campaign, where he formed a potent striking partnership with Franco Vázquez. Dybala's impressive performances, which included ten goals in the first half of the season, attracted interest from top European clubs. By the end of the season, he had amassed 13 goals and 10 assists, establishing himself as one of the league's top assist providers.


On June 4, 2015, Juventus made a significant announcement, revealing the acquisition of Paulo Dybala on a five-year contract for a fee of €32 million, with an additional €8 million in add-ons. Dybala was handed the number 21 shirt, previously worn by the departed Andrea Pirlo.Dybala made an immediate impact, scoring his debut goal for Juventus in a Supercoppa Italiana match against Lazio on August 8, 2015. In Serie A, he netted his first league goal for the club in a match against Roma on August 30, 2015. Dybala's remarkable start continued, with six goals and two assists in his first 16 appearances across all competitions. His goal-scoring rate outmatched that of Juventus legends Carlos Tevez and Alessandro Del Piero in their debut seasons, with only Roberto Baggio boasting a superior record in the club's history.


Throughout the 2015–16 season, Dybala's prowess was on full display. He scored his first Coppa Italia goal against Torino and notched his maiden UEFA Champions League goal against Bayern Munich. However, injuries plagued him during the campaign, forcing him to miss crucial matches. Nevertheless, he concluded the season as Juventus' top scorer with 23 goals in all competitions, including 19 in Serie A, as the club clinched the Serie A title.
In the following season, after Paul Pogba's departure, Dybala was offered the number 10 jersey but opted to retain the number 21 shirt. He operated in a deeper playmaking role in Allegri's new 4–2–3–1 formation, balancing defensive responsibilities with creative duties. Dybala's goal-scoring form picked up as the season progressed, highlighted by his brace against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final. His contributions earned him a contract extension until 2022.


The 2017–18 season showcased Dybala's continued excellence, marked by notable performances such as his hat-trick against Genoa and another against Sassuolo in his 100th appearance for Juventus. He reached a milestone by scoring his 100th career goal in a Serie A match against Udinese. Dybala's consistency and impact were further underlined by his 150th appearance in Serie A against SPAL.Throughout his tenure at Juventus, Dybala emerged as a key figure, displaying his dribbling skills, speed, and prolific goal-scoring ability, earning accolades and admiration from fans and pundits alike.


On September 1, 2018, Dybala reached a significant milestone by making his 100th Serie A appearance for Juventus in a 2–1 away victory over Parma. Just a month later, on October 2, he showcased his scoring prowess by netting a hat-trick in a 3–0 home triumph against Young Boys in the Champions League. Dybala continued his impressive form in Europe, scoring the only goal in a crucial 1–0 away win over Manchester United in the following Champions League group match.


However, the 2018–19 season posed challenges for Dybala, as he faced positional changes and injuries under manager Allegri, resulting in a significant drop in his goal-scoring output. Despite only managing five goals in 30 league matches and 10 goals across all competitions, Juventus retained the Serie A title.


Following the disappointing season, Dybala was linked with transfers to Manchester United and Tottenham. However, he remained with Juventus for the 2019–20 season. Initially not expected to start under new manager Maurizio Sarri, Dybala eventually earned his place in the starting lineup. He marked his return to form by scoring his first goal of the season in a crucial 2–1 away victory over rivals Inter Milan on October 6, 2019. Later that season, Dybala made his 200th appearance for Juventus in a 3–1 away defeat to Lazio in Serie A.


In the 2020 Coppa Italia final against Napoli, Dybala faced disappointment as he missed Juventus's first penalty in the shoot-out, ultimately leading to Napoli's victory. Despite this setback, Dybala was recognized for his outstanding contributions throughout the season, as he was awarded the Serie A MVP award for the 2019–20 season. He concluded the campaign with 11 goals and 6 assists, playing a vital role in Juventus's ninth consecutive Serie A title triumph.

References

1.  "Paulo Dybala". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
2. ^ "Paulo Dybala player 2" (in Spanish). Instituto Atletico Central Cordoba. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
3. ^ "Dybala, el pibe de los récords" [Dybala, the kid of Records] (in Spanish). MundoD. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
4. a b "Zamparini: "Preso il nuovo Aguero"" (in Italian). Corriere dello Sport. 28 April 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
5. ^ "DYBALA HA FIRMATO" [DYBALA SIGNED] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 20 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
6. ^ U.S. Città di Palermo S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2013, PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A. (in Italian)
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8. ^ "Football - Serie A - Standing - Top Scorers - 2014-2015 - - Yahoo! Eurosport". yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014.
9. a b "Serie A 2014-15 Statistics: Assists". ESPN FC. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
10. ^ "Agreement with Palermo for the acquisition of the player Paulo Dybala" (PDF). Juventus FC. 3 June 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
11. ^ "Paulo Dybala: Juventus sign striker from Palermo for £23m". BBC Sport. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
12. ^ "Paulo Dybala: Juventus is the perfect club for me". Goal.com. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
13. ^ "Dybala and Mandzukic score as Juventus beat Lazio for Super Cup". ESPN. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
14. ^ "Roma 2 – Juventus 1". Lega Serie A.it. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
15. ^ Ogo Sylla (16 November 2015). "Dybala keeping pace with Juventus' best". La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
16. ^ "Coppa: Four-star Juve crush Toro". Football Italia. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.