Lionel Scaloni took Argentina's 1-0 defeat to Spain in Sunday's 2026 World Cup final harder than most. The head coach broke down in tears at the press conference when asked about his future, and had to cut short his answer.
Less than 48 hours after that loss, Scaloni left the Argentine Football Association's training complex, a sprawling site that resembles a sports city, and fielded questions from reporters through his car window.
On his future, Scaloni told the newspaper "Mundo Deportivo": "These are things one might decide to reconsider after a tournament like this. We are here until December. The most important thing is that people understood the team gave everything it had, and that the national team showed great unity and cohesion."
Pressed on the sanction Argentina expect after raising the Falkland Islands flag following the 2-1 semi-final win over England, he said: "I don't know, I'm not aware of it. I don't know if that will happen in the future. They haven't informed us of anything."
He also thanked the fans for their support in spite of the result: "The people's welcome was impressive, and very kind. It is good that there is a celebration, even though it is hard to accept that we did not win. But it is also good to know that we are noble in defeat, and that we can draw positive lessons."
Rumours of a dressing-room row after the final drew a firm rebuttal. "I have no idea what you're talking about, as I don't use social media," Scaloni said. The thought of internal conflict clearly stung him. "I don't believe what you're asking about."