Lionel Scaloni addresses future as Argentina head coach

It is fair to say that Lionel Scaloni has exceeded expectations during his time in charge of the Argentina national team. Scaloni’s previous coaching experience consisted of spell as an assistant to Jorge Sampaoli at Sevilla and an ill-fated tilt at the 2018 World Cup with Argentina, again as Sampaoli’s number two.

But after that failure in Russia Scaloni found himself in charge of the national team; first as a caretaker, then an interim, and finally, in 2019, the permanent head coach. After an underwhelming start Scaloni lead the team to glory, first winning the 2021 Copa América and then the World Cup the following year, ending his nation’s 36-year wait for the trophy.

However managing Argentina, even during a period of success, takes its toll and last November he made headlines when he revealed that it would be “very difficult to continue” in the role. La Albiceleste were world champions and had just beaten old rivals Brazil but Scaloni seemed to be suggesting that his time in charge was drawing to a close. Four months on, Scaloni’s outlook appears very different. Speaking ahead of his team’s friendly against El Salvador the 45-year-old took the opportunity to elaborate on his past remarks.

“It was a moment of reflection after a difficult year,” he explained. “It’s crazy to say that it was a difficult year after having won a World Cup, but it was a difficult year.”

“After thinking about it, having meetings, we made the decision... I wouldn’t say ‘To continue’, because we never said that we were not going to continue, but to reinforce our principles and not slow down. It’s one thing to keep winning, which is difficult, but I’m focused about continuing to compete.”

Scaloni’s comfort in the role is due in part to the bonds formed between he and his backroom staff, Pablo Aimar, Walter Samuel and Roberto Ayala: “In addition to being a coaching staff, we are friends.”

Scaloni and Argentina looking to the future

Argentina’s extraordinary triumph in the 2022 World Cup will go down as one of the most engrossing victories in the history of soccer. Argentina’s route to the final was far from smooth, with major obstacles and the odd misstep along the way. It culminated with perhaps the greatest World Cup final of all time and provided the crowning glory to Lionel Messi’s superlative career.

With that in mind Scaloni could be forgiven for thinking that he had achieved all that he had set out to, that there were no more more worlds to conquer. But, speaking at the start of another busy year for La Albiceleste, Scaloni’s focus was fixed on the future.

“Yes, it is true that what we want is to continue competing, progressing, enjoying the games and the preparation. In the end, that’s it. Never let your guard down. And when there are moments of difficulty, recover and move forward. A little bit of life is about that, it’s all related.”

“You fall, you get up. And, if you’re up, you try not to fall. We don’t start thinking that we already won. I think it is not part of us or any human being to have achieved things and say that’s it. I don’t think it’s going that way,” Scaloni concluded.

He will have the chance to put that to the test this summer as Argentina look to defend their Copa América crown in the United States. Lionel Scaloni’s time in charge has brought success on both a continental and global scale and he will forever be known as the coach that helped Lionel Messi lift the trophy that had always eluded him. For now, however, the Argentina boss wants more.