Common Questions

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's Argentina reached the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup by beating 10-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in Kansas City on 12 July, Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez scoring late following Breel Embolo's second-yellow dismissal on 72 minutes. It extends an unbroken run: Scaloni has now reached the semi-final of every senior tournament he has managed since 2019, including the 2021 Copa América and 2022 World Cup, both won outright. Argentina face England in Atlanta on 15 July with Lionel Messi, confirmed for a record sixth World Cup on 28 May, playing what is widely assumed to be his international farewell.

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.

That semi-final streak has become Scaloni's defining managerial trait: Argentina do not merely qualify under him, they reach the final weekend. The 2026 run adds to that record with a defensive structure that survived extra time against Switzerland having already gone the distance against Cape Verde in the last 16.