Scaloni to stay on as Argentina coach until 2030 World Cup

BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Scaloni on Thursday agreed to stay on as coach of Argentina's national football team until after the 2030 World Cup, ending the doubts that had been swirling since this year's World Cup final defeat.

Scaloni's decision to renew his contract was announced by Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia at a press conference with the 48-year-old manager.

Scaloni, who took the Albiceleste to victory at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, told reporters he was as enthusiastic as "on day one."

"A new project begins now," he said a month after Lionel Messi, the team's leading light for 20 years, bowed out of international football.

Tapia said that Scaloni would be the Argentina manager with the most World Cups under his belt by the time his contract ended.

Scaloni had cast doubt on his future with the team after Argentina's 1-0 defeat by Spain in a bad-tempered July 19 World Cup final in New Jersey.

He has been coach for eight years, taking over in September 2018, after a traumatic World Cup in Russia, where Argentina were eliminated in the round of 16.

Scaloni took over one of the most prestigious jobs in football without any prior experience and built the team into one widely considered the best in Argentine history.

Besides the 2022 World Cup he coached Argentina to two Copa America titles, in 2021 and 2024.

He now faces the task of taking the team forward without his 39-year-old talisman Messi.

"What must remain is this team spirit, this feeling of unity among the players and the people," he said after losing the final to Spain. - AFP