"I am convinced that we have potential and are at a good enough level to wear the (Argentina) shirt. But we must instill in (the players) that there is absolutely nothing above the Argentina national team. There is no club in the world above this shirt. He who understands that, good. He who doesn't, whilst we are here, will not come," were Lionel Scaloni's words when he was appointed the manager of the Argentina national team back in 2018. Four years later, Scaloni sits alongside the pantheon of greats after leading La Albiceleste to their third FIFA World Cup crown.
A lot of eyebrows were raised when Scaloni was appointed the interim manager of Argentina and he was offered the job as a 'six game caretaker'.
"He can't even direct traffic, how come he will direct the national team. Have we all gone mad?," the late great Diego Maradona had said in 2018 after Scaloni was appointed the manager of Argentina.
With no experience in managing at the club level, the 44-year-old stared at the daunting task of resurrecting a footballing powerhouse and then being the driving force to bring back the glory days. And Scaloni achieved the unthinkable and he did so in grand style. It was because of his strategies and tactics that Argentina finally ended their 36-year World Cup drought.
History-maker Scaloni
Since taking over the job in 2018, Scaloni helped Argentina win three international trophies. First, he rolled out La Albiceleste's path to Copa America title in 2021, and then he secured the Finalissima in 2022. And the icing on the cake finally came in Qatar when his astuteness and game awareness made him a national treasure. Scaloni is now the first Argentinean manager to win both the FIFA World Cup and Copa America, a feat only three managers could muster in the history of the sport. At 44 years old, Scaloni on December 18 (Sunday) became the fifth youngest manager to win the World Cup.
Played 2006 World Cup with Messi
Scaloni played his last FIFA World Cup game for Argentina in 2006. The 44-year-old then switched his career towards coaching and became the assistant manager of Sevilla for 2016-2017. Scaloni was then appointed as the assistant manager of the Argentina national team. In 2018, he also became the manager of Argentina's Under-20 team.
No one wanted Argentina job
After Lionel Messi & Co. were eliminated in the Round of 16 stage in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, no manager wanted to take up the job of coaching Argentina. Meanwhile, Scaloni took charge and rang in all the necessary changes and laid the foundation for what transpired three years later. Argentina won the Copa America in 2021 by beating Brazil in the final and from there began La Albiceleste's quest of winning the World Cup.
Scaloni's wisdom came to Argentina's rescue
Messi & Co. arrived in Qatar on the back of a historic 36-game unbeaten streak. With form and momentum on their side, Scaloni's men were primed to taste success in the desert country. But sport is a great leveler and just when things were going smoothly for Argentina, they had an eye-opening reality check. La Albiceleste were stunned by minnows Saudi Arabia in their campaign opener in Qatar.
Even with mounting pressure and immense scrutiny, Scaloni did not lose patience and persisted with his strategy. The Argentine tactician rotated the players in his squad sublimely. Horses for courses seem to be Scaloni's mantra and it worked wonders. An example of this was conspicuous in the final when Argentina went in with a 4-4-2 formation and absolutely dominated the game in the first half. Scaloni's masterplan even forced France's World Cup-winning manager Didier Deschamps to make two changes – Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele – in the first half itself.
Scaloni outplayed the opposition team's manager on a regular basis, rallied his troops when it all looked doom and gloom, and now, it would be fair to say that the 44-year-old manager has conquered not just Argentina but the entire world. While Messi was the messiah, Scaloni turned out to be the guardian angel!
