November 23, (THEWILL) – Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni cast doubt over his future after leading his team to a momentous 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over rivals Brazil on Wednesday.
THEWILL recalls that Scaloni ended Argentina’s 28-year trophy drought by winning the 2021 Copa America, then followed it up by leading them to 2022 World Cup glory. However, his post-match comments suggested he could step down despite his success.
After defeating Brazil, Scaloni said he needed to “stop the ball and start thinking” about whether he had the energy to continue. He said the expectations are very high and it is difficult to keep winning. Scaloni plans to speak to the Argentina FA President and players about his future. The players were shocked by his comments as he had not mentioned possibly resigning previously.
The relationship between Scaloni and FA President Claudio Tapia has supposedly cooled despite Tapia claiming there was “no doubt” Scaloni would remain post-World Cup. Drawn-out contract negotiations and Tapia’s persistent requests for Scaloni to take photos with a presidential candidate have frustrated the manager.
While Scaloni used resigning language after the Brazil win, he has not officially stepped down yet. With Argentina’s next games not until 2024, there is time for discussions between Scaloni, Tapia and captain Lionel Messi about Scaloni’s role going forward. The coach remains immensely popular and has likely put pressure on the FA to meet his wishes.
His future remains unclear, but Scaloni will have the backing of players and fans should he wish to continue leading this successful Argentina team.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
