Lionel Scaloni, after the historic comeback against England: "This group is difficult to explain with words"

The Argentine National Team wrote another memorable chapter in the 2026 World Cup. After starting behind on the scoreboard, Lionel Scaloni's team reacted in the final stretch of the match and defeated England 2-1 to reach a new World Cup final. In a press conference, the coach expressed his emotions, praised the spirit of his players, defended his work philosophy, and has already started thinking about the decisive match against Spain.

The message to the fans and recognition for the team

Scaloni began with a message for the Argentine fans, who were celebrating the qualification in various parts of the country: "Enjoy it. I thought it was great that they enjoyed reaching a semifinal, so I think it's great that they enjoy being in a final."

Then, he requested special recognition for the squad and did not hide his emotion: "Thank the players, because this group is hard to explain with words. My voice breaks, honestly, because it is a demonstration of a lot of things. Of group, of brotherhood, of not giving up, of fighting until the end."

Additionally, he emphasized: "After this, honestly, we are going to win the final, we will try to win it, but what more does this team have to do? I know they recognize it, but these kids have moved me. I don’t have much more to say. It’s all thanks to them. I am grateful to the players. Without them, it’s impossible, without having this huge group."

Finally, he especially highlighted those who were not starters: "And above all, a special mention to those who don’t play, those who support from the outside, who have to train when others rest. And those who came in from the bench I think were fundamental today. In the end, football, life, is a bit like this, giving everything until the end and going home knowing you gave your all."

His opinion on alleged aids and the team's attitude

Analyzing the match's development, Scaloni refocused on the personality of his players and downplayed the rumors about supposed refereeing aids. "This talk of help will continue to exist. It doesn’t bother me. Today with VAR it’s very difficult to get help. It has to be too obvious. We knew there was no help," he stated.

Regarding the team's reaction, he explained: "I believe this team plays best when it is in difficulty, honestly. And when we are in difficulty and the opponent doubts a little, that’s when we see blood and go as far as we can. I think that’s the feeling I get."

He also recalled that the result could have been different without changing his assessment of the performance: "But it hit the post, went outside, and if it hadn’t gone in, what would we have done? We would have lost 1-0 with seven goal-scoring opportunities. What do you do? Happy anyway, because the team has shown that it fought until the end and for me that is fundamental."

And he added: "I agree that from their goal, it was a demonstration of a bit of everything that summarizes what we want for football. Football is not just about tactics, the strategy of playing beautifully. Football is everything that was summarized in those 40 minutes and when we made it 2-1 we had to dig in and we did that in the end."

"This surpassed even the one against Egypt"

When asked if the comeback against England surpassed the one against Egypt in the Round of 16, the coach did not hesitate. "We thought that with Egypt it was the maximum. Do you remember we said we had never seen anything like it with Egypt? Of course, I think this surpassed it. Beyond the opponent, the stature of the opponent, it’s a semifinal, and the way it was, I don’t know if it has ever happened before."

While he avoided comparing it to the historic semifinal of Mexico 1986, he did highlight the footballing level shown by his team: "Diego's goal, I think the second one, was magnificent and for what it was, it has gone down in history. But at the level of play today, not to compare, it was incredible."

The true turning point of the group

Scaloni also revealed what he believes was the moment that definitively strengthened the squad during the preparation for the World Cup. "I think the worst moment without a doubt was the days before giving the list. We were in a difficult situation," he recalled.

He elaborated: "Once we closed the list and gave them the right to believe they would be fine, I think that was the turning point of everything. Because in the end, they go out on the field and say: 'I can’t not give everything for my teammates'."

He finally summarized: "The turning point as a group was when we closed the list and said: 'This is us and we’re going, we’re going for whatever'."

"They are tough in a good way"

When looking for a definition for the comeback, Scaloni smiled and joked with the journalists. "Similar, epic 2, I don’t know, I don’t know," he replied with laughter when asked for a title for the match.

Then he left one of the most striking phrases of the conference: "I know them, I know how they are. I know they are tough, they are tough, but in a good way. They have grown up in environments where they were not afraid of anything. The responsibility doesn’t weigh on them."

To exemplify this, he mentioned Lionel Messi and several of the players who came in from the bench: "Today Messi, the last 15, 20, 25 minutes, when he could, he took the ball. Montiel came in thinking it was now or never. When you see that demonstration from the players, it’s because they are playing as if they were seven or eight years old. They are not thinking about failing and being out of a final; they are thinking about playing football."

"Success doesn’t move me"

The coach reiterated an idea he has been repeating for some time: the result does not define his understanding of football. "I would love to be world champion, of course, but that’s not going to move me. I have gone through a lot this past year to worry about whether I win or lose," he assured.

In that sense, he added: "The most important thing is how to face situations and how we have faced them in this last period seems to me an incredible demonstration."

He also downplayed any criticism he might receive: "I’m not worried about what people think of me. I hope they think something good, but I’ve never worried about it. I am the coach of the Argentine National Team, how can I not be criticized? It’s normal."

And he left a final reflection: "If we become world champions, on Monday we have to keep going again. And if we don’t, we will too. It’s a bit of the story that will never end: thinking about doing the best possible."

The final with Spain and praises for Luis de la Fuente

Thinking about the decisive match, Scaloni praised the Spanish national team. "A great team. For me, they were a deserving winner in the semifinal. We have already analyzed them, they have changed something, but they are still a great team and we are prepared to face them."

The changes in the team

He also explained why he made some tough decisions, such as leaving Rodrigo De Paul on the bench. "We do what we believe the match needs and we can be wrong. That story about putting players in because they gave us something doesn’t exist. The team always comes first."

Additionally, he highlighted the value of the substitutes: "If you don’t have what you need on the bench, I can come here and say a lot of things, but without players, we’re going nowhere. I’m not a magician. Here, it’s the players who play, and we try to do our best."

On the other hand, he spoke about his relationship with Luis de la Fuente, the coach of Spain. "Besides having been my teacher in the coaching course, I have a special relationship with him. I’m happy for him because he’s a great guy and has always helped me."

About Messi: "What more does he have to do to be the best in history?"

At the end of the conference, Scaloni also dedicated a strong praise to Lionel Messi, the figure of the team in a new qualification for the World Cup final.

The coach highlighted the affection that the Argentine captain evokes in Spain after so many years at Barcelona and expressed his wish that Spanish fans can also enjoy watching him play another decisive match. "I hope they understand the great difference of this player who for me, what more does he have to do to be the best footballer in history? There are no doubts anymore," he stated.

He also added: "Spain should enjoy him too because I know they love him, not all Spaniards, but a large part of Spain loves him," before reiterating that, despite the affection he feels for that country, "on Sunday, I’m sorry, we will try to beat them."