World Cup-winning coach set to quit

After the lost World Cup final against Spain (match report>>>), Lionel Scaloni surprisingly announced his impending departure as head coach of the Argentina national team.

"I will continue as Argentina's coach until December, then I will probably leave this job. I need to recharge my energy and stop now," the 48-year-old explained at the press conference after the final, before he broke off the press conference in tears shortly after >>>

At the same time, the successful coach expressed pride in what had been achieved: "The most important thing is to preserve this spirit, this feeling between the people in Argentina and the team. I am very proud of that."

Surprising Turn

The announcement comes as quite a surprise. While Scaloni's contract expires at the end of 2026, several media outlets had recently reported that the World Cup-winning coach had already agreed with the Argentinian FA on a contract extension until 2030.

Whether Scaloni will actually follow through with his resignation announcement remains to be seen. An official confirmation from the FA regarding his future is still pending.

One of Argentina's Most Successful Eras

Should Scaloni indeed step down at the end of the year, one of the most successful eras in the history of the "Albiceleste" would come to an end.

The former international took over the national team in August 2018 and led Argentina back to the top of world football. Under his leadership, the team won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, as well as the 2022 World Cup title.

In total, Scaloni has been on the sidelines for 104 international matches. Of these, Argentina won 80 matches, lost only ten, and achieved an average of 2.44 points per game.

Successor Yet To Be Named

Who could succeed the successful coach is currently completely open.

Should Scaloni go through with his announced resignation, the Argentinian Football Association would have to search for a new national team coach for the first time in over eight years.