Lionel Scaloni says there's ‘willingness on both sides’ to continue with Argentina
National team coach says he wants to continue in charge and that initial talks with AFA are underway over the renewal of his contract. Leer más
Argentina's national team coach Lionel Scaloni revealed on Tuesday that there is a "willingness on both sides" to extend his contract, which ends in December. The World Cup winning coach, 48, acknowledged that contract negotiations with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) have only just commenced. Scaloni, known as the architect of Argentina's recent success, emphasized that discussions were in their early stages.
After the World Cup final loss to Spain in July, Scaloni's future was uncertain, but following talks with AFA representative Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia, the coach now appears set to continue his tenure with the national team. He reiterated his desire to stay, stating, "I want to continue with the national team." Scaloni also ruled out considering offers from other teams while his current contract with Argentina is active.
When asked about the potential departure of assistant coach Walter Samuel, Scaloni acknowledged that losing him would be a significant blow, but affirmed that the coaching staff would adapt. The coach, who has led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and two Copa América victories, is now focusing on life after Lionel Messi, who is set to make his farewell appearance in Buenos Aires.
Despite the captaincy being uncertain, Scaloni confirmed that Cristian 'Cuti' Romero would wear the armband, while the future of the iconic number 10 shirt remains undecided.
Written by urgent.news from Buenos Aires Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
