Number of characters|4847 characters
Recommended reading time|15 minutes
Messi played in the World Cup for the first time, he was Messi's teammate; Messi won the World Cup for the first time and he was Messi's coach. Also named "Lionel", Scaloni played without a star halo, but he did not expect to sit in the dugout but became a legend of Argentine football. Scaloni is also an absolute contender for the Coach of the Year award, which will be announced at FIFA's Best of the Year Awards on February 27 (the other two candidates to finish in the top three are Carlo Ancelotti and Guardiola).
When he was appointed manager of the Argentina national team four years ago, Lionel Scaloni endured a lot of criticism and doubts, both from the media and from Diego Maradona.
In the past year, however, the 44-year-old has reunited national enthusiasm with national team glory. Dominating the America's Cup, winning the Intercontinental Super Cup, lifting the Hercules Gold Cup... Appearing in Qatar with confidence to help Messi and Argentine fans realize their dreams, Scaloni's status in Pampas football soared like a rocket.
Questioning in office
Two years after Maradona's death, success and joy returned to Argentina. In Scaloni's view, the victory at Wembley in the summer of 2022 was a great succession.
In order to better promote the idea, UEFA and CONMEBOL racked their brains and gave the joint creation of the "Intercontinental Super Cup" a resounding name - Finalissima. This concept, in fact, is only a reshaping of the national team's Intercontinental Cup, and its significance and influence are relatively limited. After two editions in 1985 (France 2-0 Uruguay) and 1993 (Argentina 1-1 Denmark, 5-4 on penalties), the tournament was shelved and left out. 2022, London, Finalissima is reborn, which the Argentine, the South American champion, values very much.
In the eyes of the Italians, the trophy may not have much value, but Scaloni asked his disciples to attack from the opening to the finish. In 2021, he defeated Brazil in Maracana and won the Copa America, giving the Argentine player who ended a 28-year championship drought full of confidence; Winning the European championship Italy is also another form of world domination for the "Blue and White". Argentina won a game (3-0) and despite their opponents' European Cup victory and failure to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, Messi and his team-mates celebrated after the game, as if they had embroidered a third star for their blue and white shirts.
Not only the players, but the whole of Argentina was boiling over for that victory. On the TV show, Battista, a member of the 1986 World Cup winner who briefly coached the Argentine national team, said: "The current Argentine team is almost perfect, and the lads are showing the world that they are favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar. ”
In the midst of jubilation, there was no hot-headed person, and that was Scaloni. In his post-match press conference, the Argentine boss said: "If we think we've got everything done, we're completely wrong. The World Cup game is completely different from the game you just saw. More than five months later, Argentina lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in the first World Cup group stage, ending a 35-game unbeaten streak, and Scaloni's fears seemed to be confirmed.
Having been belittled by his countrymen at the beginning of his tenure, Scaloni knew from the beginning how difficult his job was. For such a serious and important sport as football, a coach who is not enthusiastic enough and lacks passion is usually scolded as a "falling chicken". After Sampaoli left because he could not make the "Messi Friends" form a strong fighting force, the Argentine Football Association approached Diego Simeone, Pochettino, Bielsa, Gallardo and other famous managers, but unfortunately they were all rejected - some did not want to leave the club, some did not want to take over the mess. In the end, the Football Association took a back seat and arranged for Sampaoli's former assistant Scaloni to be regularized.
Scaloni was only 40 years old at the time, had played in the World Cup (2006) during his pitch career, but had only made 7 international appearances. Since starting his coaching career in 2016, Scaloni has never played a leading role, having worked as an assistant to Sampaoli for Sevilla and then for the Argentine national team. Few people know that at a country club in Mallorca, Spain, Scaloni worked as a reserve manager. Damián Didonato, author of the book "Genealogy of Argentine Football", said: "Scaloni is like a football coach in the 40s, able to coach the Argentine national team only because of the good relationship with the players, or because some people think he can do well. ”
For this appointment, there was a protest in Argentina, the media called Scaloni an "impostor", and even asked the relevant departments to investigate the appointment process of the football association. Maradona, who was coaching the Mexican league at the time and had teammates with Scaloni at Newell, did not miss the opportunity to add fuel to the fire. "Maybe it's not his fault that he was put in that position. The question is, does he really think he can lead the team to the World Cup? He might be able to sign up for the MotoGP World Grand Prix instead of the Soccer World Cup. Not to mention the national team, he can't even command road traffic. ”
People see and love
Maradona has been dead for two years, but Scaloni is getting better. For more than three years, the "Blue and Whites" had only one name: Scaloni's team. In Argentina, which treats football harshly, such a title means great respect.
Diego Morsi, an Argentine sociologist who has studied football violence for many years, said: "Traditional Argentine football coaches are full of talk and charisma. Scaloni is completely different from them. He always wore sportswear and had a simple and ordinary hairstyle. Nothing is known about his life, and most Argentines don't even know which teams he played for. ”
When there is no national team assignment, Scaloni usually stays in the western Rosario town of Pujato, which is his hometown, and has also given birth to famous coaches such as Sampaoli and Pochettino. Scaloni loves cycling along the streets, relaxing and enjoying the quiet. Before becoming a World Cup-winning manager, he told a TV reporter who came to interview: "In my hometown, I was just Leo, 'Gringo' (nickname). To the people of the village, I have never changed. My son trains at the Matinso club in the village and watching him play makes me feel very comfortable. ”
In Argentina, a country full of enthusiasm and some chaos, the quiet and simplicity of Scaloni is definitely an alternative existence. Leondro De Sabato, who was also born in the region and later went to play as a student at La Plata, told us: "Whether it is a player or a coach, in general, the Argentines are extreme. Scaloni, on the contrary, always shows great peace of mind and reflects it in the team. The lack of a hot personality does not prevent him from succeeding in football, whether it is dealing with criticism as a national team manager or slowly growing up in the Newell old boys' youth academy. Argentine players generally want to excel on their skills, but he stood out for his physicality. ”
Bielsa set off a football revolution in Rosario that year, and the rustic Scaloni who played in a rustic style soon had a nickname - "The Farmer". The title has always upset the current Argentina manager, and De Sabato still remembers when Scaloni joined the university in 1996. "The first time he came to the dressing room, I offered to greet him: 'Hey farmer, how's it going here?' Then with just one movement, he shut me up. He said he never wanted to hear the nickname again. ”
Scaloni, who had previously been denied opportunities with the Newell old guys and could not be favored by the capital's big clubs, gradually established himself in La Plata, and his initial role was as a striker. The university club won the Copa Libertadores three times between 1968 and 1970 and was crowned for the fourth time in 2009. As a university student, Scaloni met his first mentor: Danielle Córdoba, who held the title of "professor". This person looks like an elegant scholar and is famous for being the first to introduce psychological counseling into the local football circle. When Scaloni first signed a contract with a university student, the contract was pending and he could not get paid, and Cordoba offered to pay for his hotel. Subsequently, according to Scaloni's characteristics, Cordoba fixed him at right-back.
"Lionel is a young man with the same energy as his peers and the maturity he shows is amazing. You feel like he's a retired player who rejuvenates and starts his career all over again. He is like a sponge that can absorb all ideas and dare to give his opinion, even against players who are more experienced than him. He already had a great sense of teamwork! ”
As a college student, Scaloni learned a lot and understood that in order to shine and last in this circle, he had to have other talents besides the technique under his feet. Under Córdoba, Scaloni became "the player that all coaches dream of", which was what coach Irueta said of when he later played for La Liga Deportivo Villa.
"Adhesive"
At the age of 18, Scaloni noticed that some of the university players were criticizing the manager behind his back, so he immediately called for a meeting to solve the problem face to face. On the pitch, Scaloni showed his strong technical and tactical skills early, once visiting the Monument Stadium to challenge River Plate, which has stars such as Francisco and Salas, and his play on the right flank left Solin, who was already an international at the time, helpless.
This performance impressed the then Argentine youth coach Pekelmann, who also decided to take him to Malaysia to participate in the U20 World Youth Championship. Ugo, Peckerman's assistant at the time and current Argentine national team goalkeeping coach Martin Tokali, recalled: "He was not a technical genius, but he could play multiple positions, he was 100% committed in every game, and he had a very good attitude. That's why we chose him, and he jumped at the chance. ”
In Malaysia, Scaloni played seven games and scored two goals, including one in the quarter-final against Brazil. The Argentine youth team won the tournament, with players including Riquelme, Cambiaso, Samuel, Aymar... The latter two are Scaloni's current assistants in charge of the Argentine national team.
Bernardo Romeo, who has been the coordinator of Argentina's youth teams at all levels since 2019, played for Mallorca in La Liga with Scaloni, and the two are also good friends who talk about everything. "I've known him for a long time and this guy has been very mature and interesting since he was a kid. Our group of players should be regarded as the golden generation', in addition to winning the 1997 World Youth Championship, they also won the 1998 Toulon Cup. ”
In December 1997, Deportivo Francoña, who had been following the "farmer" for a long time, decided to bring the Argentine fullback to Europe. At the time, Super Laco was going through the most glorious era in the club's history (winning La Liga in 2000, Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup in 2002), and the dressing room was in turmoil. Skaloni's right-hand partner and current Ligue 1 Nantes reserve manager Ziani recalls: "There were a lot of camps and even fights, but Lionel had a good relationship with everyone and his yerba mate and Argentine music were well loved. He loves to talk, he likes to tell jokes, and he does it all out of good intentions. He never pretends to be cool and knows how to take sides when necessary. Whether training or competing, he is passionate and committed! ”
Scaloni's personality also makes coach Irueta willing to use him as the core to create a dressing room atmosphere. "He didn't always start, he usually shared opportunities with Manuel Pablo, but his impact on the team was decisive. Even if he can't play, he won't lose his temper; Instead, he would often get up from the bench and give orders to his teammates, like my assistant. ”
Only once did Scaloni think of his own interests first. It was late 2005, and Pekelman, who replaced Bielsa in coaching the Argentine national team, came to Deportivo and told Scaloni that she wanted to take him to the World Cup in Germany. But there is one condition: you must play as a regular at the club until the end of the season. On 31 January 2006, before the winter window closed, the "Farmer" was loaned to West Ham United in the Premier League. In the summer of the same year, Scaloni successfully participated in the World Cup, when the Argentine national team had many of his national youth comrades, as well as the 19-year-old Messi. At that event, Scaloni played the role of glue very well. In the 1/8 final against Mexico, the 28-year-old Scaloni made his seventh appearance for the senior national team, and that 120 minutes was also the curtain call of his "Blue and White".
Build a dynasty
After being the manager of the Argentine national team under great pressure, Scaloni has only one task: to put the national team above everything else! "There was a period of time when the national team wasn't really respected, which was strange. Every Argentine player should dream of being part of this team. With a number of core opters leaving after the 2018 World Cup, Scaloni and his coaching staff spent a long time scouting and testing new internationals. As one of the few "veterans" left, Tagliafico said, "It's like starting a new program. 2019 was a bit chaotic, with a lot of players coming in and out and the coaching staff was inexperienced. But based on hard work, a desire to win and a sense of belonging, we gradually built a united team. ”
To draw a new blueprint, Scaloni decided to look to Italy for inspiration. The experience of playing for Lazio as a player made him pay a lot of attention to Serie A, and it was in this league that "manager Leo" found several cornerstones of the World Cup-winning team, such as Christian Romero, the best defender in Serie A in 2020-21, such as Messi's "bodyguard" De Paul, and Molina, the right-wing all-rounder who also came out of Udinese. As for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, although he was in poor form this World Cup, his appearance allowed Messi to be set in the No. 10 position.
De Sabato believes that one of Scaloni's great talents is that he can build winning teams, even if some players were criticized at the beginning of the selection. "Di Maria's example is the most emblematic. At first, the veteran who played for Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris and many other giants could not be called, and then slowly became a substitute... Once the team was up and running, he became a regular again, scoring goals in the Copa America and World Cup finals in the last year or so. Now, watching the Argentine national team match, everyone will be convinced that team spirit is the most important thing! ”
Every time he was asked "how does your national team play", Scaloni's answer was thought-provoking. "The tactical system, the strategic arrangement, or all the aspects directly related to football, are not as important as the players who can follow you." In a country that is often locked up in a variety of football ideologies (from Menoti to Bilardoism, Bielsa to Simoneism), Scaloni stands out for a long time. Writer Didonato said: "In this era of many coaches from academic backgrounds who give you a lot of diplomas at every turn, Scaloni is a 'countercultural trend'. He may represent the evolutionary trend of the profession, which is to move away from over-professionalism, away from dialectics, and better get closer to the player as the subject. ”
Before becoming a World Cup-winning coach, Scaloni was constantly adjusting and introspecting. Initially, his team was relatively low in formation, and then gradually moved forward to allow more players with the ability to control the ball to be integrated. After losing the first World Cup in Qatar, Scaloni made decisive personnel and tactical changes to the core position, and used three different strategies in the last three knockout matches. Taliafico explains: "Every coach has his own style, he likes to have the ball, so he chooses a lot of players with good technique at his feet with the aim of keeping the ball turning. But if needed, he will not hesitate to ask us to shrink the formation and deal with the opponent's pressing with abandonment of possession and counter-attack. ”
After winning consecutive Copa America and the World Cup, there should be no more public accusations against Scaloni, but it is also a fact that his team lacks a clear tactical style. Diego Morsi, who specializes in looking at things from a sociological perspective, attributes Scaloni's success to objective history. "The coronavirus pandemic and the creation of the UEFA Nations League have reduced Argentina's chances of playing against European teams and increased the internal friction of European powerhouses. And Argentina didn't have a lot of superstars during his time in charge, and he didn't have to bear too much criticism about the selection of the international. The days when national team managers had to choose between four or five top 'nines' are over. ”
Regaining the Hercules Gold Cup after 36 years, Argentina relied on Messi's brilliance and team football, as well as the confidence and optimism that Scaloni brings. Hugo Tocali said: "After the World Cup in Russia, people feel that Argentine football is dead, full of problems, and a whole generation will have nothing to gain. But in Qatar, the united and energetic team has reached the top and remains favourites for the next one or two World Cups. All thanks to Scaloni! ”
In September 2022, Argentine Football Federation president Tapia has decided to renew Scaloni's contract until the end of the 2026 World Cup. This time, Maradona won't come out and say anything, because he is already laughing in heaven.
Written by Leo Ruiz
Compilation: Xiangbo
This article was originally published in Football Weekly Issue 857
Release date: 2022.12.29
The image comes from the Internet