Just a few days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Scaloni analyzed the scenario that is unfolding in the fight for the title. In an interview with Olé, the coach of the Argentine National Team was asked about his candidates to win the World Cup and how the national team is preparing to defend the title.
"Ten? I don't know if I underestimated it. Argentina will be there. I don't know if we will win, but those ten or twelve teams will fight and try to reach the final", he stated. He then began to list the main contenders: Spain, France, Portugal, England, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Morocco, and Croatia, in addition to the Albiceleste.
Beyond the individual names, Scaloni emphasized that in a World Cup, football performance does not always suffice to achieve glory. As he explained, the details, circumstances, and even strokes of luck often play a decisive role in the journey of each national team that ends up championing.
Scaloni believes that there are at least 10 or 12 candidates for the title, including the National Team.
To illustrate this, he recalled Argentina's path to the title in Qatar 2022: "I believe that, of the last teams that won, we were one of those that faced the most obstacles along the way. Because we lost the first match, because we were equalized in the last minute against the Netherlands and went to penalties. Against France, we were leading 2-0 playing well and they equalized.
"All in all, we were one of those that faced the most obstacles along the way, one of those that I believe rightfully reached the final and still came close to not winning it. Imagine how difficult it is. We could have been eliminated by the Netherlands, we could have left without winning the final, and in the group stage, what happened happened", he added.
The current situation of the National Team
Another topic that arose during the conversation was how the national team is arriving to defend the world title. In this regard, Scaloni was direct: "We are doing well. Fortunately, we have a core group, I would say about 60-70% of the players, who are always the same. And that helps when you come together, all those doubts dissipate: by knowing each other, knowing how we play, what we want, it helps to minimize any issues that may arise".
Scaloni assured that the National Team is arriving well for the World Cup.
"I imagine that all the teams will be in the same situation, concerned about the start of the World Cup, hoping that most arrive well, that they are in the best possible shape. It is very difficult to reach 100%, to the maximum of possibilities, but we are doing well", he added.
His perspective on the final list and the transition in the National Team
In another part of the interview, the coach spoke about the names included in the final roster for the upcoming World Cup and expressed satisfaction with the current state of the squad, highlighting the continuity of the world champion core. He explained that many of the players who conquered Qatar are still part of the process because they maintain a level that justifies their presence.
"The ones who remain are because they have shown they want to be here, not because we haven't tried. We have tried to bring in a lot of players, and in the end, those who are still here are because they deserve it and are relevant. And those who are not here, for various reasons, are not", he commented.
According to Scaloni, the world champions who will play in the 2026 World Cup are due to their relevance and level.
On this, he referred to the specific cases of Ángel Di Maria, who has already retired from the National Team, and Nicolás Otamendi, who is set to say goodbye after the World Cup. "Fideo rightfully stopped coming because his career has been a fairy tale, I believe the rest is part of the normal process. Ota has already said he is leaving after the World Cup. How do you replace Di María? How do you replace Otamendi when he is gone? Impossible", he commented.
"You have to try, well, from another perspective, to look for other types of players, another way of playing, butit is impossible to replace them and that is something that will have to be addressed in the future. But I believe that those who are here are here because they deserve it, honestly", he concluded.
