Bothered by Argentina’s Dependence on Lionel Messi, Lionel Scaloni May Retire From Coaching Duty Before 2026 WC, Believes Pundit

Argentina has been hit with a massive surprise following their recent game against Brazil. Head coach Lionel Scaloni admitted that he’s planning to leave his position with the national team. A prominent pundit believes that Lionel Messi could be a key reason behind Scaloni’s exit.

The news has thrown the Albiceleste into a frenzy. No player from the squad including Lionel Messi was aware of the manager’s decision. The manager’s statement has come as a big surprise considering Argentina has been on top of their game as of late. The team has done a great job following Scaloni’s appointment winning the Copa America and the World Cup.

Ole Moreno believes Scaloni is leaving his job because of Lionel Messi

Venezuelan soccer star turned pundit Ole Moreno was present on ESPN FC as he commented on Lionel Scaloni’s recent comments. The Argentine manager stated that he’s planning to leave his position with the Albiceleste.

According to Moreno, “I was just kind of like wait a second. This is not a concession speech. It certainly feels like it. It feels like Copa America and goodbye for Lionel Scaloni. This doesn’t feel like this was the speech of someone who was saying, yeah 2026, here we go. It’s almost as if let’s make it to Copa America and that’s about it.”

He then added, “It’s going to be great. You do you, I’ll do me, but I don’t think I can carry this forward. The other thing he’s probably seeing it himself like we depend a lot on Lionel Messi and he’s not getting any younger. I’m not sure what his plans are for 2026. I don’t know what that transition is gonna look like without Lionel Messi.”

The Argentine manager in his post-game interview following the game did not take any questions. He talked about the game and then gave the journalists a lot to write about with his massive statement.

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Lionel Scaloni pondering his position as Argentina’s head coach

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni left everyone stunned following his recent press conference. The Argentine stated he is thinking about his future with the national team. The statement took everyone by surprise, as even the Albiceleste players were not aware of the situation.

During his press conference, Scaloni stated, “Argentina needs a coach who has all the energy possible and who is well. I need to stop the ball and start thinking. I have a lot of things to think about during this time. These players have given a lot to the coaching staff and I need to think a lot about what I’m going to do.”

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