Lionel Scaloni
Argentina head coach since 2018 who led the country to the 2021 Copa América and 2022 World Cup titles.
Last refreshed: 29 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can Scaloni build a title defence around a 38-year-old captain for one final tournament?
Timeline for Lionel Scaloni
Confirmed Messi in the final 26 and omitted Mastantuono
2026 FIFA World Cup: Messi confirmed for a sixth World Cup- Who is Lionel Scaloni and what has he won as Argentina manager?
- Lionel Scaloni has been Argentina's head coach since 2018. Under him Argentina won the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.Source: AFA
- Why did Argentina include Messi in the 2026 World Cup squad?
- Head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed Messi in Argentina's final 26 on 28 May 2026. At 38, Messi is attending an unprecedented sixth World Cup in what is almost certainly his final international tournament as a player.Source: AFA
- Who did Argentina leave out of their 2026 World Cup squad?
- Scaloni omitted Franco Mastantuono, an 18-year-old forward who was considered a potential inclusion, choosing experience around Messi over blooding a teenager.Source: AFA
Background
Lionel Scaloni confirmed Lionel Messi in Argentina's final 26 for the 2026 World Cup on 28 May, sending the 38-year-old captain to a record sixth tournament and leaving out the 18-year-old forward Franco Mastantuono . The selection was a statement of coaching intent: Argentina are defending the title around a player whose longevity, not his output, is the primary concern.
Scaloni took over the Argentina national team in 2018 on an interim basis and was confirmed permanently after building an unbeaten run that ran for 36 matches. Under his management Argentina won the 2021 Copa América — breaking a 28-year national title drought — and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, defeating France on penalties in one of the most celebrated finals in the tournament's history. He became the first Argentine coach since Marcelo Bielsa to be consistently credited with building a tactical system rather than simply managing talent.
His approach at the 2026 tournament blends established stalwarts around Messi with a defensive structure that proved the decisive asset in Qatar. Argentina enter as holders and among the pre-tournament favourites, with the additional weight of knowing this is almost certainly Messi's farewell to international football at its highest level.