Lionel Scaloni laments how Argentina had to “endure buckets of cold water” during their World Cup journey, which ended with a defeat against Spain in the final.
In the early hours of Monday, Lionel Scaloni broke his silence following the 1-0 extra-time defeat suffered by “his” Argentina against Spain in the heated World Cup final. He published a lengthy message on social media, taking the opportunity to respond to the criticism directed at him.
“After an intense week—where sadness intertwined with joy, tears with smiles, anguish with tranquility, and nerves with calm—I can finally sit down to write a few words. You know I’m not big on social media, but perhaps this is the best way to reach you,” he began.
“All I can say is that I am sorry I couldn’t bring you another trophy and give you a new reason to celebrate—something that, even if only for a few days, might have made you forget the ugly parts of life. But I want you to hold onto what we tried to show with this group of players—my warriors, as I called them when speaking about them to my wife,” he continued.
“The effort, the drive, the determination, the ‘I can do it’ mindset, refusing to give up (even when everything turns against us), enduring buckets of cold water [thrown by] people who don’t know us, maintaining our composure, and wanting to stay on our feet when our legs no longer obey our brains… That is the real trophy,” he concluded. In closing, the *Albiceleste* head coach shared a special message: “I am eternally grateful to my coaching staff, the players, the AFA [Argentine Football Association] staff, those who work quietly to ensure our comfort, and each and every one of you for the affection shown. Lionel Scaloni. P.S.: Whoever has an Argentine friend has a treasure.”
‘Mass Departure’ in Argentina
The World Cup final was, in fact, the last match a number of players played for Argentina’s senior national team—starting with Nicolás Otamendi (another former Benfica player who has joined River Plate), who confirmed his decision in an emotional post on social media.
Meanwhile, Leandro Paredes has also left open the possibility of retiring from international football, acknowledging that “it will be very difficult to maintain this level”: “I don’t know; it’s a process.”
