If you’re a football (soccer) fan, you’ll know that right now is a very unique and unusual time for the beautiful game. Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 36, is heading back home to the club that launched his career – Manchester United, and Lionel Messi has recently been signed by PSG in France, after leaving Barcelona for the first time in history.
Speaking of Messi, it is one of his Argentine teammates who has been grabbing a lot of headlines and attention lately, and that man is Paulo Dybala.
Having spent the last two seasons playing with Cristiano Ronaldo with Juventus, as well as playing alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina, Paulo Dybala has literally been shoulder to shoulder with greatness, but is it now time for the 27-year-old to begin making more of a name for himself?
Dybala is pacey, technical, and agile on the pitch, and with his low center of gravity and his pace, he is a nightmare for defenders. Want to learn more about this gifted player? If so, then here are several interesting facts about Paulo Dybala that you probably didn’t know.
His Nickname Is ‘La Joya’
This charismatic Serie-A footballer for Juventus and Argentina is known as ‘La Joya’ which literally means ‘The Jewell’.
This is largely because of his unique style of play, his pace, his technical ability, and his skills on the pitch.
He Has Polish And Italian Origins
Despite being born in Argentina, in Cordoba, Dybala has Italian and Polish blood running through his veins. His grandfather was born in Poland, whereas on his maternal grandmother’s side, he has Italian genes as she was from Naples.
He Is Worth A Lot Of Money
It should come as no surprise to learn that a professional footballer of Dybala’s caliber, is not shy of a bob or two.
Thanks to his career, as well as sponsorships and endorsements, Dybala’s estimated net worth, as of 2019, was a whopping $25 million.
His annual salary is 5.5 million Euros, with a weekly wage of 60,000 Euros. Yikes!
He Has Worked With Some Big Names
No, we don’t mean on the pitch with Messi and Ronaldo, we’re talking off the pitch.
Dybala’s wealth is due in part to his endorsements and sponsorship deals, as in the past he has worked with some big names, including New Balance, Nike, and Adidas, to name just a few.
His Girlfriend Is In The Music Business
The 27-year-old Dybala is currently in a relationship with a young woman named Oriana Sabatini, who in the music industry, is simply known as Oriana.
The 22-year-old is a model, pop singer, and actress in Argentina. She herself has sporting blood in her veins, as her aunty is Gabriella Sabatini, who won the US Open in 1990.
She met the footballer in 2017, at a music concert he was attending, where she was supporting Ariana Grande.
He Was Linked With A Move To Manchester United
Like his Juventus teammate, Dybala was also linked with a move to Man Utd a couple of seasons back.
After friction with the manager, and dips in form, he was seemingly ready to leave Juventus and head to Man Utd. That move never happened, and he was also linked with EPL side Tottenham, though again, that never happened and he stayed with Juventus.
Dybalamask
When Paulo scores a goal, he puts his hands over his face below the nose, covering his mouth and chin. This is known as the ‘Dybalamask’. But why? Well, very simply, he says he is mimicking the mask of a Gladiator.