Lionel Scaloni keeps Argentina calm before 4am Jordan group finale | OneFootball

In a country that lives football with ferocity, Lionel Scaloni stands out for his composure as Argentina prepare to face Jordan at 4am on Sunday. According to L'Équipe, the head coach’s low-key management has set the tone through this World Cup.

Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 on 17 June, then defeated Austria 2-0 to book qualification with a game to spare.

Asked about Carlo Ancelotti’s comment on the team’s intensity last week, Scaloni said he understood the point and declined to fan any row with Brazil.

Often likened to serene predecessors such as Alejandro Sabella and José Pekerman, he also invites comparisons with Luis Enrique. Once a more fiery player, he is a hyperactive organiser who might get up at 2am to ride a bike. Inside the camp he tweaks the thermostat, lifting or lowering energy and addressing any flicker of tension.

After the Austria win he played down talk of favourites or a double, stressing that many sides could win this World Cup and that Argentina are only one of several formidable teams.

He prefers to absorb pressure himself, though emotion has caught him before, after the 2022 final when he cried and in Kansas City when he reunited with Martín Palermo, who had backed him at Estudiantes. Early 2023 he suffered shingles and heavy fatigue, and he now leans on a psychologist while seeking balance. He clears his head on a bike or by visiting his first club when back in his village of Putajo near Rosario, maintaining that equilibrium and calm are essential.

Source: L'Équipe