The Albiceleste experienced more than just the euphoria that came with victory following their amazing 1-0 win over Brazil in the 2026 FIFA Qualifiers. Those echoes of violence against their supporters in the Maracana still resonated, and another bomb dropped with Lionel Scaloni, the team’s coach, revealing his thoughts about resignation.
In a shocking revelation on Wednesday, Argentinian presenter Jorge Rial dropped a bombshell on his radio show, exposing a tense confrontation between Lionel Messi and Lionel Scaloni within the confines of Maracaná's locker room. The fallout from Scaloni's unexpected statement that he was contemplating walking away from his the team, was felt most keenly by Lionel Messi. According to Jorge Rial, there was an intense, albeit brief, exchange between Messi and Scaloni. The Ballon d'Or 2023 winner, still basking in the glory of the victory, was caught off guard by the news of his coach's possible departure.
It was Messi himself who suffered the greatest backlash from Scalioni’s surprise declaration. Someone wrote to him: ‘Hey, at a press conference, Scaloni says he is resigning, that he is leaving out any more energy and he says it will be hard for him to continue.’ This statement came as a surprise to Messi and their entire team, leading to even a short discussion between Messi and Scaloni. As disclosed by the Argentinean presenter, it was a brief but intense conversation between Messi and Scalone. The coach was rumoured to have walked out on the team, and to this day, the former victorious player was also taken aback.
Rial disclosed the backstage drama of the exchange. "The conversation with Scaloni lasted 32 seconds. Yes, 32 seconds. Messi was the one who cut short the conversation and left," Rial explained.
Football fans all over the world will be keenly following the Argentine camp as it tries to overcome the existing internal tensions and get past the obstacle en route to the 2026 World Cup.