Lionel Messi‘s farewell was not the only big topic in Argentina’s camp this week. The future of coach Lionel Scaloni was also a constant subject, and he gave a new hint on Tuesday, October 6, after the 3-0 win over Benin that closed the Messi era with the national team.
Speaking at the post-match news conference, Scaloni first addressed how Argentina will replace its captain. “The only way to compensate is with a team. Everyone has to contribute,” he said, adding that the team no longer has a player who opens a match with a flash of genius, but can do many things together, even if Messi is irreplaceable.
Then he turned to his own situation, giving a very positive hint about his future with the national team. “If all goes well, I will continue as coach,” Scaloni explained before adding that “Messi’s legacy is the biggest example we can take.”
Scaloni’s contract expires in December 2026, and although he casted doubt on his future after the World Cup, he has since opened direct negotiations with AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia to extend his deal through the next World Cup.
Lionel Scaloni with the World Cup trophy. (Getty Images)
The talks are advanced and could be settled in the coming weeks, with the reported plan being for him to stay until the end of 2030, a deal that would allow him to coach his third World Cup, after Qatar 2022 and North America 2026.
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What’s next for Argentina
Argentina’s next matches will come in the November FIFA window, which runs from November 9 to 17, with a maximum of two games per team, marking the first time the national team plays without Messi in the squad.
The AFA has not yet announced opponents or venues, although one latent possibility is the long-delayed tour of Asia, which was originally planned for this window but was postponed so Messi’s farewell could take place in Argentina.
The road to the 2030 World Cup looks different for Argentina than for most teams. As one of the three countries that will host centenary games, together with Uruguay and Paraguay, Argentina has an automatic berth in the tournament, which means the team will not have to go through the usual qualifying process.
CONMEBOL has not yet announced how it will decide the rest of its entrants, since it is still waiting to learn whether FIFA will accept its proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams, so the format of the South American qualifiers remains unclear.
