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"I swear he doesn't care," De Paul said.
"Sometimes we'll be in a room drinking mate and we'll tell him 'hey man, you're just one away or two away.'
And I swear he has no idea."
Messi was substituted in the 80th minute to a standing ovation from nearly 70,000 fans in attendance.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni appeared visibly emotional on the touchline during the celebrations.
"There are no words; anything I say would be superfluous," Scaloni said.
"It's what he's been doing for 20 years, it's what the people of this sport want to see."
De Paul noted a shift in the captain's demeanor, emphasizing that Messi appears to be playing with less pressure than in previous years.
"He's an animal," De Paul added. "What makes me the happiest is that I feel like he's enjoying it.
That he doesn't feel the weight of the pressure."
"Everyone knows his mentality. He doesn't let himself enjoy things much because he's always focused on helping us and the team.
But I see him good now, I see him happy. That's contagious among the group," De Paul said.
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Messi remained on the pitch after the final whistle to celebrate with his teammates and fans before departing for the team bus.
