Coach Lionel Scaloni made it clear that he wants to continue as coach of the Argentine men’s soccer team and that his chances of winning the championship with Messi in this summer’s South American tournament are great.
Speaking to the media as Argentina prepares to defend its Copa América crown, Scaloni said he is willing to stay until the president of the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) no longer needs him. This coach also revealed that he has more energy than when he won the world championship last November and is ready to conquer South American football.
“I went through a difficult time in November. I needed more rest to regain strength so I expressed my intention to leave. But now I feel good with all the energy. Higher quality than before. I will continue here until the president of the AFA decides otherwise. I want to win the championship again with Messi,” coach Lionel Scaloni told Argentina’s X newspaper.
Messi and his teammates were crowned Copa América 2021. Photo: GETTY.
Lionel Scaloni surprised Argentine soccer fans in November 2023 when he announced that he was running out of energy to lead the national team. He believes the team needs someone new who can take Messi and his teammates to new heights.
Scaloni shared after winning the 2022 World Cup: “I need to think a lot about the future. I think Argentina needs a new coach with good health. I myself need to stop playing football after a while. We have dedicated a lot and “I want to rest comfortably. This is not goodbye, but I have to think because the level in Argentina is increasingly higher. It is very complicated and continuing to win is also complicated.”
However, coach Lionel Scaloni, after a conversation with the president of the AFA, Claudio Tapia, decided to stay. And soon, the Argentine team will face Ecuador and Guatemala in friendly matches this month before beginning the Copa América campaign. Lionel Scaloni and his team will face Canada, Chile and Peru in the group stage when their campaign begins on June 20.
Coach Scaloni admitted that he wants to win again with Messi in the South American tournament. Photo: GETTY.
The advantage of coach Lionel Scaloni is that the Argentine team has a Lionel Messi. It is not an exaggeration to say that wherever Messi is, there are champions. As defending champion of the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 World Cup, Scaloni is very confident and wants to win again with Messi, when Argentina has a strong team led by the Miami striker.
Messi is surrounded by top-level teammates spread across the three lines. With stable performance and confidence after winning the last Copa América, Argentina is the strongest candidate for the championship.
The Copa América 2024 will be held from June 20 to July 14. The teams will be divided into 4 groups, each group will have 4 teams. Each team will compete in a round robin in the same group, selecting the two teams with the best records to compete in the quarterfinals, semifinals and then the final. The opening match of this tournament will take place on June 20 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta between Argentina and Canada.
