Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni insists he is fully committed to leading the team for as long as he wants ahead of their Copa America 2024 campaign.
Last year, Scaloni shocked world football when he revealed he was considering stepping down less than 12 months after leading his country to World Cup 2022 glory in Qatar.
Argentine media reported earlier this year that Lionel Scaloni had agreed to remain in charge until the end of the upcoming tournament in the United States, when the Albiceleste kicks off a month-long campaign against Canada on June 20.
Ahead of friendlies against Ecuador and Guatemala, Lionel Scaloni said he expected to remain in charge until Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia decides otherwise.
“I didn’t have a good year and I felt it was time to stop the ball,” Scaloni said, recalling his previous comments.
“I’m here today with all my energy, which, to be honest, I wasn’t in November. As long as the AFA president wants me to be here, I’ll be here.”
Lionel Scaloni was able to provide an update on Lionel Messi’s fitness while also explaining his decision to leave out Paulo Dybala from his preliminary 29-man squad for the tournament.
Lionel Messi scored 12 goals in his first 12 games of an MLS season with Inter Miami, last scoring more in his first 12 league games with Barcelona in 2012-13 (17).
“The good thing is that Messi has continuity in his team, especially after the injury,” Scaloni said.
“It is important that he gets more minutes. We see him fully fit. He will join the team for training tomorrow.”
He added to Dybal: “We have a special affection for him, but we always say that the team comes first. Given the circumstances and the fact that we had problems in some positions, we decided not to include him.
“We know what he gave us. With all the pain in the world, we made this decision.”
A series of minor injuries limited Dybala to 25 Serie A starts in 2023-24, although he still scored 13 goals for Roma to improve on his return from 12 in 2022-23.
Argentina face Ecuador on June 9 at Soldier Field in Chicago and Guatemala at Commanders Field in Washington five days later as preparations for their Copa America title defense intensify.
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