On June 28, in the third round of the FIFA World Cup group stage, Argentina defeated Jordan 3-1. After the match, Argentina's head coach Scaloni attended the press conference.
Excerpts from the press conference are as follows:
What is your overall assessment of these first three matches, having secured 9 points?
Scaloni: Overall, it's positive after winning three matches, especially because we involved all players, which has always been our goal. I believe every player should not only enjoy the opportunity to participate in the FIFA World Cup but also genuinely play in the matches. Fortunately, we gave them playing time, and I think they delivered, as it was a difficult game. The opponent was a good team, defending compactly and giving us no space. Luckily, the players performed well, and that's the point: keeping everyone available and then assessing them for the future. If we can continue to rely on them, they have already proven to me that they can.
What pleased you most about today's match, given all the rotations you made? Also, how is the squad's physical condition? The schedule will become more intense from now on, with matches almost every three days if you advance. What are your thoughts on the players' fitness?
Scaloni: Today, the only player on the bench who couldn't play was Romero. We hope he recovers; otherwise, we'll use other players. We know that from now on, matches will come thick and fast. Previously, it was one game every five or six days, but that will change starting from the Round of 16. We'll also be playing in Miami, where the weather is hot and the match times are unusual, but everyone has played in such conditions, so we have nothing to complain about. Overall, except for Romero, whom we hope recovers, everyone else is fine and available.
Argentina has won all three group matches and is among the highest-scoring teams while conceding the fewest goals. The locker room appears to be in excellent spirits. How do you keep the team grounded and prevent them from becoming overconfident?
Scaloni: There's nothing to be overconfident about. We need to keep moving forward, keep playing, and keep giving our all. As I said yesterday at the press conference, this jersey means always giving your best, always striving, doing the best you can, and trying to win, which is what they did today and will continue to do. They have this within them, and I won't tire of repeating it: they are naturally competitive, and that's how it will be, at least during my tenure. Argentine players have always been like this, very committed to the national team. We just need to let them continue to prove it on the field.
Messi came on as a substitute in the second half, and the stadium erupted with fans chanting his name. He scored again, extending his record to seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches. Are you surprised to see him perform at this level, or are you accustomed to it? How do you feel about it?
Scaloni: I see what you all see. Every time I'm asked this question, it's a bit embarrassing for me because I don't know what else to say. The only thing I can add is that today he could have easily played the full 90 minutes and perhaps extended his legendary record further, but he chose to allow his teammates to get playing time, also considering the upcoming matches. This speaks volumes; he's not just thinking about the personal statistics that people talk about.
I'm very happy because he made this decision. I talked to him, and he said it was for the best, and I agreed. This shows his commitment to the national team, the team, and his teammates. It's excellent. As for the rest, I have no more words to describe it.
You just mentioned Messi; Lo Celso and Lautaro also scored today. How important is it for both of them to score for the national team? Does it boost their confidence?
Scaloni: I don't think we ever doubted Lautaro, Alvarez, or Lo Celso. Goals are always welcome, of course, but their overall play is outstanding. Lautaro's performance has been excellent, and even without goals, we are very satisfied with him. He has been very committed since joining us and is a very professional player. Of course, if they score, it's better for them and the team, but even if they don't, we are equally satisfied.
Why did you choose to start both Alvarez and Lautaro together? Did it meet your expectations? And on a scale of 1 to 10, what score would you give the team's group stage performance?
Scaloni: I don't usually rate things on a scale of 1 to 10, but I can say we are in good form. It's hard to pinpoint the exact level, but we are certainly playing well. Now the FIFA World Cup enters another stage. The reason for starting both of them was, first, to give Alvarez more playing time, as he hadn't started before, only appearing as a substitute twice. I've always said that balance is key.
Today I felt the team could afford the luxury of using both of them. Overall, they performed well; they always play well together, for example, against Paraguay and in the match at the Monumental. The two complement each other very well.
But I always say it depends on the match; there are different types of matches, and you need to find the right balance. The team cannot lose this balance, otherwise, situations arise that you don't like—players become unhappy and teammates feel uncomfortable. Our goal is to maintain this structure and balance.
Today we tried playing them together, and overall I'm very satisfied. They created chances and contributed to the attack, which is excellent.
As a coach, what do you think about five players making their FIFA World Cup debut? You yourself have experienced such moments.
Scaloni: It's an unforgettable moment for them, I can imagine. When arranging substitutions, we were trying to solve a puzzle—getting these players who needed to play into the match without disrupting the team's overall balance. This was also one of our goals for today, and we achieved it. I am very satisfied.
I hope they truly understand what it means to wear the national team jersey and play in the FIFA World Cup. From their performance and reactions, I think they do. I'm very proud of this: we managed to get almost all outfield players to make an appearance. Only the goalkeepers were not rotated, and overall I'm very satisfied.
Why did you choose to play Palacios at right-back today? That's a position he hasn't played before.
Scaloni: First, Palacios has already trained in this position, and we believe we need a rotation option there. We're very happy with this choice, especially considering it wasn't an easy match.
AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com