Paulo Dybala facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paulo Dybala

Dybala with Roma in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Paulo Exequiel Dybala
Date of birth	(1993-11-15) 15 November 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Laguna Larga, Córdoba, Argentina
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward, attacking midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team	Roma
Number	21
Youth career
2003–2011	Instituto
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2012	Instituto	38	(17)
2012–2015	Palermo	89	(21)
2015–2022	Juventus	210	(82)
2022–	Roma	77	(31)
International career‡
2015–	Argentina	40	(4)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Argentina FIFA World Cup Winner 2022 Qatar CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Winner 2022 England Copa América Third 2019 Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:27, 16 March 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Paulo Exequiel Dybala is a professional football player from Argentina. He was born on November 15, 1993. He plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for the club Roma in Italy and for the Argentina national team. People call him "La Joya," which means "The Jewel," because he is very good at dribbling the ball and scoring goals.

Dybala started his club career in 2011 with Instituto de Córdoba. In 2012, he joined Palermo and helped them win the Serie B title. In 2015, Dybala moved to Juventus, where he won many titles. These included five Serie A titles and four Coppa Italia titles. He was also named the Serie A Most Valuable Player for the 2019-20 season. He is one of Juventus's top goal scorers of all time. In 2022, Dybala joined another Serie A club, Roma.

Dybala first played for the Argentina national team in 2015 when he was 21. He has played in 40 matches for his country. He represented Argentina in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the 2019 Copa América, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He helped Argentina win the World Cup title in 2022.

Early Life and Family Roots

Paulo Dybala was born in Laguna Larga, Córdoba, Argentina. His grandfather, Bolesław Dybała, came from a village in Poland. He moved to Argentina during World War II. Some of his grandfather's family later moved to Canada. Dybala also has some Italian family history. His great-grandmother on his mother's side was from the province of Naples in Italy.

Club Football Journey

Starting at Instituto de Córdoba

Dybala was nicknamed "La Joya" (The Jewel) or "El pibe de la pensión" (The Boarding House Kid). He began his professional football career at age 17 with his hometown club, Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. This was in the Primera B Nacional, which is Argentina's second division.

He played 40 matches for Instituto and scored 17 goals. He became the youngest player to score a goal for the club, breaking a record held by Mario Kempes. Dybala also set a record by playing 38 matches in a row in a professional league. He was also the first player to score two hat-tricks (three goals in one game) in a single season.

Moving to Palermo

Paulo Dybala playing his last match for Palermo in 2015

On April 29, 2012, the president of US Città di Palermo, Maurizio Zamparini, announced that Dybala would join their team. He called Dybala "the new Sergio Agüero." On July 20, 2012, Palermo officially confirmed that Dybala had signed a four-year contract. The transfer fee for him was about €8.64 million.

Dybala played his first game for Palermo in a Serie A match against Lazio. He scored his first two goals in Italy on November 11, 2012, helping Palermo win 2–0 against Sampdoria. The 2014–15 Serie A season was a big one for Dybala. He scored ten goals in the first half of the season. He formed a strong partnership with fellow player Franco Vázquez. Many top European clubs became interested in him. He finished that season with 13 goals and 10 assists, making him one of the best at setting up goals in the league.

Time at Juventus

Winning Titles and Awards

On June 4, 2015, Juventus announced they had signed Dybala for five years. The fee was €32 million, plus €8 million in bonuses. He was given the number 21 jersey. On August 8, he came on as a substitute in the 2015 Supercoppa Italiana against Lazio. He scored the second goal in their 2–0 win. On August 30, 2015, Dybala scored his first league goal for Juventus against Roma.

In his first 16 games, Dybala scored six goals and made two assists. He scored his first Coppa Italia goal in a 4–0 win against Torino on December 16. On February 23, 2016, Dybala scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in a 2–2 draw against Bayern Munich. He finished the season as Juventus's top scorer with 23 goals in all competitions. Juventus also won the Serie A title that year.

Dybala warming up for Juventus in 2017

After Paul Pogba left Juventus in 2016, Dybala was offered the number 10 jersey. However, he chose to keep his number 21 jersey. In the 2016–17 season, Dybala played a deeper role behind new signing Gonzalo Higuaín. This meant he scored fewer goals but helped create more plays. On April 11, Dybala scored two goals in a Champions League quarter-final match against Barcelona. Juventus won 3–0. On April 13, 2017, Dybala signed a new contract with Juventus until 2022. On June 3, Dybala played in the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final, but Juventus lost 4–1 to Real Madrid.

On August 9, 2017, Dybala was confirmed to wear the number 10 shirt for Juventus. On August 26, Dybala scored his first hat-trick in Serie A in a 4–2 win against Genoa. He scored another hat-trick on September 17 against Sassuolo. This was his 100th game for Juventus. On March 11, 2018, Dybala scored two goals against Udinese. His first goal in that match was his 100th career goal.

Challenges and Comeback

Dybala (left) playing for Juventus in 2021

On September 1, 2018, Dybala played his 100th Serie A game for Juventus. On October 2, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 win against Young Boys in the Champions League. With Cristiano Ronaldo joining the team, Dybala often played in a different position. He also had some injuries. Because of this, he scored fewer goals in the 2018–19 season. He scored only five goals in 30 league matches. However, Juventus still won the Serie A title.

After a tough 2018–19 season, Dybala was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur. But he stayed with Juventus for the 2019–20 season. He scored his first goal of that season on October 6, 2019, in a 2–1 win against Inter. This helped Juventus take the top spot in the Serie A table. On December 7, he played his 200th game for Juventus.

In the 2020 Coppa Italia final against Napoli on June 17, the game ended in a 0–0 draw. Dybala missed Juventus's first penalty in the shootout, and Napoli won 4–2. At the end of the season, Dybala was named the Serie A MVP for the 2019–20 season. He scored 11 goals and made 6 assists, helping Juventus win their ninth league title in a row.

On October 20, 2020, Dybala played his first game of the new season in the Champions League. He scored his first goal of the season on November 4 against Ferencváros. Before the 2021–22 season, he was named the team's vice-captain. On March 21, 2022, Juventus announced that Dybala's contract would not be renewed. This was because the club's plans changed after striker Dušan Vlahović joined.

Dybala returned from injury on April 7, 2021, scoring the winning goal against Napoli. On May 12, he scored his 100th goal for Juventus in all competitions. He was the first non-European player to do so. On May 15, 2022, Dybala announced he would leave Juventus at the end of the season. He played his last home game for Juventus on May 16, 2022, and received a standing ovation from the fans.

Joining Roma

On July 20, 2022, Dybala signed a three-year contract with Roma. His contract runs until June 30, 2025.

On August 14, he played his first game for Roma in a 1–0 win against Salernitana in Serie A. On May 31, he scored the first goal in the 2023 UEFA Europa League final. However, Roma lost the match to Sevilla after a penalty shootout.

On February 26, 2024, he scored his first hat-trick for Roma in a 3–2 home win against Torino. On April 18, he scored his 50th goal for the club in a 2–1 win against AC Milan in the Europa League quarter-finals. This win helped Roma reach the semi-finals. Dybala remained at Roma for the final year of his contract. In January 2025, his contract was extended until June 2026.

International Career with Argentina

Dybala playing for Argentina in 2017

Because of his family, Dybala could have played for Poland or Italy. However, he always said he felt 100% Argentine and dreamed of playing for Argentina. He said he would not be happy playing for a team that did not feel like his own.

Early International Games

On September 22, 2015, Dybala was called up to the Argentina senior team for the first time. He made his first appearance on October 13, 2015. He came on as a substitute in a World Cup qualifying match against Paraguay. In May 2016, he was not chosen for Argentina's squad for the Copa América Centenario. He was also left out of the final squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

On September 1, 2016, Dybala was sent off (given a red card) in a 1–0 win against Uruguay during a World Cup qualifier. On June 13, 2017, he helped set up a goal in a 6–0 friendly win against Singapore.

World Cup and Copa América

In May 2018, Dybala was named in Argentina's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He made his World Cup debut on June 21, coming on as a substitute in a 3–0 loss to Croatia. This was his only game in the tournament. Argentina was knocked out in the round of 16. Later that year, on November 20, Dybala scored his first goal for Argentina in a 2–0 friendly win against Mexico.

In May 2019, Dybala was included in Argentina's squad for the 2019 Copa América. In Argentina's last group match against Qatar on June 23, Dybala assisted a goal in a 2–0 win. This helped Argentina move to the next stage. In the third-place match against Chile on July 6, Dybala started the game and scored Argentina's second goal in a 2–1 win. This helped his team win the bronze medal.

Recent International Success

On June 1, 2022, Dybala scored Argentina's last goal in a 3–0 victory against Italy at Wembley Stadium in the 2022 Finalissima.

He was part of the Argentina squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On December 13, he played his first game in the tournament against Croatia in a 3–0 semi-final win. Five days later, in the final against France, he came on as a substitute just before the penalty shootout. He scored the second penalty in the shootout, helping his team win the World Cup 4–2 after the match ended 3–3.

In May 2024, Dybala was not included in Argentina's squad for the 2024 Copa América.

Playing Style and Skills

Dybala is known for being an elegant player. He has powerful and accurate shots. He is also very creative and good at dribbling, which means he can get past opponents easily. Because of his excellent dribbling, he is great at counter-attacks and running past defenders. He is also known for his energy and for helping out with defense.

He can create chances for his teammates because he has good vision and accurate passes. Even though he is not very tall, Dybala is good at scoring goals with his head. This is because he can predict where defenders will move.

Dybala is a versatile forward, meaning he can play in many attacking positions. He started as a left winger in Argentina. In Italy, he has played as a right winger or an attacking midfielder. His former coach at Juventus, Massimiliano Allegri, sometimes used him as a central midfielder. Allegri described him as a "box-to-box player," meaning he plays well all over the field. Dybala is also skilled at scoring free-kicks and penalties.

His playing style has been compared to famous Argentine players like Sergio Agüero, Lionel Messi, and Diego Maradona. He has also been compared to Italian forwards like Roberto Baggio. In 2014, Don Balón magazine named him one of the 100 most promising young players in the world.

After scoring a goal, Dybala often uses his special "mask" celebration. He explained that it's not just a celebration but a message. He said, "It's an ideal mask, which gladiators wore to fight." He said the idea for this celebration came after a tough loss in a Supercoppa match.

Personal Life

Dybala got Italian citizenship on August 13, 2012. This helped him move to Palermo because Italian football rules limit how many non-EU players a team can have. Dybala first tried to get Polish citizenship through his grandfather, but it was too complicated.

Dybala has several tattoos on his body. These include two stripes on his left arm, an Arabic tattoo, and a crowned football on his leg.

Since 2018, Dybala has been in a relationship with Oriana Sabatini. She is the daughter of actress Catherine Fulop and Osvaldo Sabatini. She is also the niece of famous Argentine tennis player, Gabriela Sabatini. On July 20, 2024, Paulo and Oriana were married.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dybala goal.

List of international goals scored by Paulo Dybala

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	20 November 2018	Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza, Argentina	18	Mexico	2–0	2–0	Friendly
2	6 July 2019	Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil	24	Chile	2–0	2–1	2019 Copa América
3	1 June 2022	Wembley Stadium, London, England	33	Italy	3–0	3–0	2022 Finalissima
4	5 September 2024	Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina	39	Chile	3–0	3–0	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours and Achievements

Palermo

• Serie B: 2013–14

Juventus

• Serie A: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
• Coppa Italia: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2015, 2018
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2016–17

Roma

• UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2022–23

Argentina

• FIFA World Cup: 2022
• CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions: 2022

Individual Awards

• Serie A Team of the Year: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20
• Serie A Player of the Month: July 2020, November 2023, February 2024, April 2024, December 2024
• Serie A Most Valuable Player: 2019–20
• ESM Team of the Year: 2016–17
• UEFA Europa League Team of the Season: 2022–23
• Coppa Italia top goalscorer: 2016–17
• Serie A top assist provider: 2014–15

Records

• Supercoppa Italiana all-time top scorer: 4 goals
• Youngest player to score a hat-trick in Serie A for Palermo at the age of 21 years, 11 months, and 16 days.
• Fastest player to reach 50 goals for Juventus in Serie A in the club's history.
• First Juventus player to score in four consecutive away games in the UEFA Champions League.
• Scored the 25,000th goal in Juventus' history in a Serie A match against Torino.
• First non-European player to score 100 goals in Serie A (excluding naturalized players)

See also

In Spanish: Paulo Dybala para niños