Lionel Scaloni, the World Cup and a bold promise: "We'll give it a go" | OneFootball

Lionel Scaloni was given the special task of stepping onto the Kennedy Center stage with the World Cup. Just minutes before the start of the 2026 World Cup draw—a defining moment for the Argentina National Team and 41 other countries—the coach took the floor, building anticipation for his team’s title defense.

“I remember Argentina vs. France as an unforgettable final, where so many things happened. Our team, despite the difficulties, kept believing and at no point did we think it could end badly,” the coach declared from the stage.

And he promised: “That’s what we’ll try to do in the new World Cup: keep competing and never give up. That’s what our people expect from us, and that’s what we’re going to try again.”

A few hours earlier, upon his arrival in Washington on Thursday night, the Albiceleste coach had shared his positive feelings ahead of the draw: “Compared to the last one, I’m calmer; in Qatar, we were doing more calculations. Tomorrow after the draw we’ll do the math, but for now, let’s enjoy this moment.”

In the midst of World Cup fever, uncertainty over the Finalissima

Scaloni had also spoken about the lack of clarity regarding the organization of the Finalissima, which his team is supposed to play against Spain in March 2026: “I think it could have been played earlier. Now we’re waiting. We have no news, honestly.”

“Now I traveled with coach Luis De La Fuente, who, besides being Spain’s coach, is my friend—he gave me my coaching course—and he doesn’t have absolute confirmation either. Let’s hope,” the manager added.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.