BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The image remains remarkable: Lionel Scaloni standing impassively on the sidelines after Gonzalo Montiel scored the decisive penalty in the 2022 World Cup final, securing Argentina's third star with a victory over France.
The coach didn't celebrate at first. He remained still, silent, as if oblivious to the feat he himself had helped to accomplish. Several minutes later, he broke down when a player approached him, hugged him, and whispered: "We are world champions."
Master of Composure
Scaloni almost never loses his cool. He didn't when bombarded with criticism for his lack of experience while leading Argentina. Nor did he when Kylian Mbappé's goals threatened the country's World Cup hopes four years ago. And he remains the same today, facing the challenge of trying to repeat as a World Cup champion.
Those who know him say Scaloni learned to control his temper thanks to a hobby outside of soccer. Since retiring as a player, he dedicates two to three hours daily to cycling—a sport he took up on the recommendation of his friend, former Spanish tennis player Carlos Moyá.
"On the bike, you can think about your team, your opponent, how to prepare for the match. It really clears my head. I use it as therapy," Scaloni said in several interviews. "It's a good escape… it helps me lower my expectations, be calmer."
Historic Comparison
In a few weeks, Scaloni will become the third coach to lead Argentina into consecutive World Cups, following in the footsteps of César Luis Menotti (1978 and 1982) and Carlos Bilardo (1986 and 1990), both champions.
But the youngest of the three doesn't believe he deserves comparisons to the others.
"I don't think we're on the same level. They have established careers, they defined an era," Scaloni has said repeatedly.
Earning His Place
With no prior experience managing professional teams, Scaloni took over the team on an interim basis in 2018 after Argentina's debacle in Russia, where the Argentinians were eliminated in the round of 16 months earlier. Meanwhile, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) was considering Mauricio Pochettino or Diego Simeone as candidates.
"Scaloni? He can't even direct traffic," Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to a World Cup championship in 1986, said at the time.
The inexperienced coach stayed on and Argentina went on to win the 2021 Copa América and successfully navigated the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup. In Qatar, Scaloni weathered criticism after a disappointing opening match against Saudi Arabia, revamped the team mid-tournament with the addition of then-rookies Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, and Julián Álvarez, and unleashed the best version of Lionel Messi in a World Cup.
"The criticism was normal, I hadn't coached anywhere. (Maradona) wasn't far off," Scaloni acknowledged shortly after lifting the cup, without any resentment toward the star who passed away in 2020.
Challenges Ahead
Brazil was the last world champion to repeat, winning in 1962. Scaloni knows the demands will now be the same or even greater. He will have to defend the title with his star player nearing retirement at 38, while also dealing with turmoil within the Argentine football organization.
"The World Cup is very, very difficult. To win a World Cup, a lot of things have to come together, not just playing well," Scaloni said in a recent interview with CONMEBOL. "Every time Argentina goes to a World Cup, it will try to reach its full potential. It's very difficult, but not impossible."
A Champion's Mindset
Scaloni made it clear to his players that being world champions didn't guarantee them a place on the national team and demanded they never let their guard down.
"I don't dwell on past achievements; you always have to keep looking ahead," he said in late 2025.