Scaloni to serve out contract amid uncertainty following World Cup final defeat
The 48-year-old cites the difficulty of rebuilding a squad capable of reaching consecutive finals, acknowledging Spain’s deserved victory in the 2026 final.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has expressed uncertainty regarding his long-term future following the team’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. The tearful 48-year-old stated he would discuss his next steps with the federation president but confirmed he intends to serve out his current contract, which expires in December.
Scaloni, who guided Argentina to the 2022 title and back-to-back Copa America crowns in 2021 and 2024, acknowledged the challenge of replicating such success. He noted that assembling another squad capable of reaching consecutive World Cup finals would be "very difficult" and "painful," particularly given the age of key players such as Lionel Messi.
The final, played on 19 July 2026 in New Jersey, saw Spain secure their second World Cup title with a 105th-minute goal from Ferran Torres. Scaloni accepted the result, stating that Spain deserved the victory after dominating possession and shots. He expressed gratitude to the fans for their support, noting that the team had reached the end of an open match but ultimately fell short.
Scaloni is only the second Argentinian manager, after Carlos Bilardo, to reach consecutive World Cup finals. While he leaves the post as the most decorated manager in the country’s history, considerable turnover is expected beyond Messi, who is 39 years old. Although Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists in the tournament, his participation in the 2030 World Cup is described as extremely unlikely.
Eight Argentina players started both the 2022 and 2026 finals. Scaloni admitted that continuing would require a mental reset and the creation of a new group, a process he described as difficult. He concluded his press conference after thanking his players and staff, exiting to applause from the assembled media.
