Lionel Scaloni has firmly denied any agreement to renew his contract as Argentina head coach, setting out the conditions required for him to continue. In a lengthy media appearance at the Ezeiza training ground, the manager dismissed reports that his continuity was settled and stressed that discussions with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) are still pending.
Scaloni, who has been in charge for eight years, expressed a desire to stay but made it clear there are points to discuss beyond finances. "The desire to continue is there; now we need to sit down, talk and reach an agreement. Negotiate, nothing more, nothing less," explained the coach from Pujato. He specifically denied having met with AFA president Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia to discuss the matter, citing a personal commitment that prevented the meeting.
The manager referenced the strong emotional impact of losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain in July, a result that ended a run of four consecutive wins. Despite that setback, the team leads its World Cup qualifying group with a perfect 9 points from 3 games. The next fixture is a match against Bolivia on October 1st, a commitment for which the coaching staff is already preparing.
The dream place and reality
Scaloni described Ezeiza as his "dreamed place" and acknowledged the emotion of returning. "Coming back here provokes pure melancholy in me," he admitted. However, he separated that sentiment from the professional decision about his future. He assured that the public affection shown towards him, which even makes him somewhat uncomfortable, and the players' public pleas for him to stay, will not be deciding factors in his choice.
"The affection from the people is what I'm handling the best. Not even in my best dreams did I imagine it." he confessed. The coach was emphatic in stating that nothing reported about his renewal is true and that, for now, everything remains as before. His stance makes it clear that, while he wants to continue, there is no rush and any agreement must satisfy certain conditions that have not yet been formally addressed.
Context and what's next
The team is in a period of transition, with the imminent retirement of Lionel Messi, the season's top scorer with 8 goals. Scaloni alluded to this when reflecting on the passage of time in football. The focus now is on preparing for the match against Bolivia, a key game to maintain their perfect lead in the qualifying standings. Fans can follow the squad's development and upcoming fixtures on our fixtures page.
Scaloni's situation, therefore, remains at an impasse awaiting a concrete meeting with the AFA leadership. His future at the helm of the Argentine national team will depend on a negotiation that has not yet begun, leaving a margin of uncertainty over who will lead the team in the next phase of qualifying and at the 2028 Copa América.
The original report is at Clarin.com
