Could the USMNT soon be looking for a new head coach? That could be the knock-on effect of Lionel Scaloni potentially stepping down as Argentina manager following La Albiceleste’s World Cup final defeat to Spain.

In his postgame press conference after Sunday’s defeat, an emotional Scaloni strongly hinted that his lengthy and hugely successful run in charge of Argentina, which began in an interim capacity in August 2018, could come to an end when his contract expires at the end of this year.

“I’ll stay through December, and after that I’ll probably step away,” Scaloni explained. “I have to talk it over with the president (Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia), but the idea is probably to take a break and relax for a while.”

Scaloni breaks down after World Cup final

The 48-year-old then broke down in tears as he offered a word of warning to whoever eventually succeeds him.

“I need to reset, to build another group like this one, and I don’t think a group like this will come together again easily. It hurts my soul. I’m so sorry…”

At this stage, with Scaloni’s departure not yet confirmed, we can only speculate about who could replace him. But Mauricio Pochettino certainly feels like a logical candidate.

The 54-year-old is one of the highest-profile coaches available, is a former Argentina player, has previous spoken of his desire to manage his country, has managed elite-level stars at Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and now has experience in international soccer, including at a World Cup.

This summer, Pochettino’s USMNT broke American records for the most wins (three) and most goals scored (11) at a World Cup, earning plaudits for their performances, even if they faded after a very promising start to the tournament.

If Scaloni does leave in the next few months, it is easy to see why Pochettino might be an attractive option.

After the United States’ exit from the tournament, the former defender’s contract expired. However, he has held discussions over a new deal with U.S. Soccer, with a decision believed to be imminent.

Other candidates to replace Scaloni

It is unlikely, though, that Pochettino would be the Argentina Football Association’s (AFA) only target to succeed Scaloni.

Diego Simeone would be the other obvious candidate. After almost 15 years with Atlético Madrid, his time in the Spanish capital will have to end someday, making the Argentina national team job a logical next step. It is difficult to imagine him taking over in the middle of the club season, however.

Marcelo Gallardo is another highly regarded Argentine coach looking to kick-start his career after leaving River Plate for a second time in February. Gallardo enjoyed a hugely successful first spell, winning 15 trophies between 2014 and 2022, but was unable to recapture that magic after returning in 2024.

Current River Plate manager Eduardo Coudet, who had a brief spell in MLS with the Philadelphia Union as a player, has also been mentioned as a future Argentina head coach.

Alternatively, the AFA could choose to promote from within. That could bring Scaloni’s assistant Pablo Aimar into contention, along with Diego Placente, who currently manages Argentina’s U17 and U20 teams.

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