Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni opens door to contract extension and preps for Messi farewell

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — From a farewell that seemed all but certain to a situation where the possibility of continuing remains open.

Lionel Scaloni, who hinted his tenure as Argentina coach was over following the loss in the World Cup final, said Thursday he is willing to negotiate an extension of his contract, which expires in December.

“We will talk — there is every willingness to sit down,” Scaloni told reporters after a training session at the national team complex in Ezeiza, ahead of friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso, and Benin.

“There is certainly a desire to be here, but there are a lot of aspects we need to discuss with the president” of the Argentine Football Association, Claudio Tapia.

Scaloni’s remarks came after several Argentine national team players publicly called for him to stay, including the new captain, Cristian Romero, who is taking over the armband following the international retirement of Lionel Messi.

Scaloni is the architect of the most successful era in Argentine history, featuring a World Cup title (2022) and two Copa América victories (2021 and 2024)

He indicated he would speak with Tapia in the coming days.

“It’s a dream come true, but that doesn’t mean I have to cling to the job forever. There are certain conditions we need to discuss with the president, and we’ll see if we can reach an agreement,” he added.

When asked whether the renewal depended on financial or sporting factors, the coach replied, “A bit of everything.”

Argentina will face Bolivia on Sept. 30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba province and will then take on Burkina Faso and Benin on Oct. 3 and 6, respectively, at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.

Messi’s farewell

The friendly against Benin will serve as the occasion for the 39-year-old Messi to appear for his final match in his national team’s jersey, following his announcement in late August that he was ending his international career.

“For me, getting to coach him was the ultimate experience. It was a dream. I told him so, and I’ll say it for the rest of my life. There will never be anyone like him,” Scaloni said. “It’s very rare for a player like that to come along —not just because of what he does on the pitch, but because of everything he conveys off it. Let’s enjoy this.”

In the last World Cup — the sixth of his career — Messi played all eight matches and scored eight goals. He concluded his national team career as its all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, 21 of which came in World Cups.

Messi, who holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or awards, is nominated for the prize to be presented on Oct. 26.

“After the World Cup he just played, there isn’t much more to add,” Scaloni said. “If the award is for the best player, there’s no doubt. It’s already spoken for; the statistics prove it. As long as he’s on a football pitch, it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t deserve it.”

The future

Scaloni used the squad selection for the upcoming friendlies to begin the transition following the retirements of Messi, defender Nicolás Otamendi, and other players.

“These matches are an opportunity for the young players to make their mark. If these youngsters are here, it’s because they deserve it. I hope they make the most of it,” the coach said.

The new call-ups include defenders Tomás Palacios (Estudiantes), Román Vega (Zenit), and Valentín Gómez (Betis); midfielders Tobías Andrada (River Plate), Ezequiel Fernández (Bayer Leverkusen), and Santiago Simón (Toluca, Mexico); and winger Leonel Flores (Boca Juniors).

___

See AP’s full soccer coverage here