Lionel Scaloni Keen to Stay as Argentina Contract Talks Are Delayed
Lionel Scaloni’s contract talks with Argentina have been delayed after the coach missed a planned meeting because of a dental appointment, but he has made clear he wants to remain in charge.
Renewal meeting still to come
Scaloni said no formal progress has been made on his future during the current international window, with discussions yet to begin despite an intended meeting on the previous day.
“There is no news regarding my situation,” Scaloni said. “We were due to meet yesterday, but I had to go to the dentist and it did not happen. There is willingness to sit down, but for now everything remains as it was.”
The Argentina boss said he had used time away from the team to recover from the disappointment of their most recent failure to beat Spain in a major decisive match. He insisted there was also pride in the commitment shown by his players.
- Scaloni says official renewal negotiations have not started.
- Both sides remain open to holding talks.
- The coach wants a detailed conversation with the federation president.
- Argentina’s senior players continue to back the coaching staff.
Scaloni still wants to stay
The 48-year-old has not hidden the impact of Argentina’s latest final setback, saying the squad had been close to adding another world title to an extraordinary recent run.
“Not winning hit hard,” he said. “We were close to another world title.”
Yet his message on the future was positive. “There is a desire to be here,” Scaloni said, while stressing that several issues must be addressed before any agreement is completed.
Argentina’s federation is hopeful of keeping the coach who led the country to the 2022 World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles. A proposed two-year deal that would keep Scaloni through the 2030 World Cup is being prepared.
Argentina’s next fixtures
While the contract situation waits, Scaloni’s immediate focus is a packed friendly schedule. Argentina will play three matches in a week, ending with a Buenos Aires occasion expected to serve as an emotional farewell appearance for Lionel Messi.
| Date | Fixture |
|---|---|
| 30 September | Argentina vs Bolivia |
| 3 October | Argentina vs Burkina Faso |
| 6 October | Argentina vs Benin, Buenos Aires |
What happens next
Scaloni and federation officials are expected to reschedule their meeting after the dental issue prevented the first planned talks. The key question is whether the outstanding discussions can quickly turn mutual willingness into a new deal through 2030.
