Will Lionel Scaloni continue? Projecting Argentina's 2030 World Cup manager after final defeat
· Yahoo Sports
NEW YORK — Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni broke into tears in his post-match news conference Sunday after his team fell to Spain 1-0 in the World Cup final.
Visit tr-sport.bond for more information.
There are many emotions swirling after Argentina fell one game, one comeback short of a successful defense of its 2022 title.
Scaloni never has been one to hide how he's feeling, crying with joy after winning the 2022 tournament and now being overcome after the 2026 tournament. But when things calm, he knows there will be a conversation about what comes next.
Will Lionel Scaloni continue to lead the Argentina national team?
Scaloni's current contract goes through the end of the year, and while he said during the tournament that he'd be open to extension talks, he now is expecting a different tone when he meets with bombastic Argentine Football Association president Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia.
"It’s a pleasure to be here, a source of pride. In my wildest dreams, I never had thought of it. If the president wants, I’ll be here until December," he told reporters in the mixed zone after cutting his post-match news conference short. "After, it’ll be complicated because it’s fair for things to be able to change.
"The spirit of the group, the feeling of union between the players and the people, that feeling can never break and always needs to be there."
Remarkably, Scaloni has never coached a club team. The 48-year-old will have no lack of suitors when he decides to shift away from the international game, especially in Spain where he has a home in Mallorca after meeting his wife there in one of the final stops of his playing career.
Who could replace Lionel Scaloni & become the next Argentina manager?
There are a few candidates whose names already are bouncing around as potential coaches to lead Argentina into the 2028 Copa América, the 2030 World Cup and perhaps beyond.
Pablo Aimar
Scaloni arrived as part of an effort to find consistency and continuity, so it would make sense to turn to one of his current assistants to keep the good vibes — and the playing style — going. Aimar and fellow assistant coach Walter Samuel both have a great relationship with the current generation of Argentina stars but also are tapped into the development pipeline and tracking the youth prospects.
Mauricio Pochettino
Most recently the U.S. men's national team manager, Pochettino played with the Argentina national team and has a deep perspective on both Argentine soccer and also the game in Europe, having managed Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and other top clubs on the old continent.
Marcelo Gallardo
After a legendary run leading River Plate to a pair of Copa Libertadores titles, Gallardo has been unable to recapture the magic. Still, he knows the game and knows Argentine soccer well. An international job might be the type of shift needed to reinvigorate the 50-year-old, who still has plenty to offer his country.
Diego Simeone
The long-time manager of Atlético Madrid, the 56-year-old may be ready for a new challenge after working in La Liga since 2011. This could be the moment for Simeone, who had a son in the 2026 Argentina squad and himself wore the Albiceleste shirt, to transition into the world of international managing, perhaps building the national team in the same image he crafted for his Atleti teams.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Lionel Scaloni continue? Projecting Argentina's 2030 World Cup manager after final defeat