The award of The Best as the best coach of 2022 rewards the brilliant career in the banks of Lionel Scaloni, the false dream that an entire country, Argentina, has been chasing since Mexico 1986. The victory of the albiceleste, 36 years later, in the World Cup in Qatar was crowned Leo Messi but also a coach who knows how to shape a homogeneous group so that the star is more comfortable than ever and performs like a charm.
The coach attended the Paris Gala with his wife and two children and was very excited to receive the award. “I am especially proud because it is an award voted for by footballers and for me it has enormous value. I want to thank the players, the 26 who led us to glory. I am eternally grateful to the AFA president for giving me the opportunity to train with this great team. Thanks to Aimar, Ayala, Aimar and my entire coaching staff. There’s nothing better than cheering your country on, seeing excited people in the streets. It’s not can be bought. We played for our people and this is for them,” said scaloni.
Scaloni’s success, which was renewed this Monday until 2026, confirms the theory that to succeed as a coach it is not necessary to be an exceptional football player. Born in the town of bid (Santa Fe province) 44 years ago, he was a winger with a long run on the right wing who lived his most fruitful period at Deportivo, which was Superdepor which he won League in 2000, Copa del Rey in 2002 and two Super Cups of the people mentioned.
Scaloni started in Mallorca, where he played between 2008 and 2009, and there he met his wife, Elisa Montero. They live in Calvià with their two sons: Ian and Noah. He then joined Lazio and retired from Atalanta in 2015. Scaloni began his coaching career as Jorge Sampaoli’s assistant during his first spell at Sevilla (2016-2017) and later with the Argentine team (2017-2018).
An experience that allowed him to survive in a World Cup, the one in France-2018, where the albiceleste fell in the round of 16 against the future champion of France (4-3). It was after this failure that in August of that year the AFA (Argentine Football Association) appointed him provisionally for the senior team, having been responsible for the Sub 20 a few days before, while President Claudio Tapia is looking for Sampaoli’s replacement.
Maradona’s ‘speech’
Even Diego Armando Maradona called it “crazy” to hand the reins to an inexperienced coach. “Scaloni is a great boy but he can’t direct the traffic,” said ‘Pelusa’. During his interim period, Argentina played six friendlies, winning four (Guatemala, Iraq and Mexico twice), drawing one (Colombia) and losing another 1-0 against Brazil.
Tapia confirmed Scaloni in November 2018 until the Copa América in 2019. Brazil, the tournament’s host, won the title after eliminating Argentina 2-0 in the semifinals, finishing third. But two years later, in 2021, the albiceleste took revenge and won the Copa America by defeating Brazil, re-organizer, 1-0 at the Maracana with a goal from Ángel Di María.
First America’s Cup since 1993
Argentina’s first title at the South American tournament since 1993, after struggling through four losing finals, helped Scaloni dispel any doubts that he was the perfect coach.
The exhibition against Italy, champion of the Eurocopa, in the Finalissima played at Wembley (3-0) and the historic streak of 36 games without defeat reinforced the feeling that Argentina had arrived at the best moment to face the challenge of finally winning the World Cup.
Doubts resurfaced afterward the defeat against Saudi Arabia in the debut (2-1), but Scaloni knew how to stay calm at all times and put the pieces together, betting on the young Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez to find the formula that led him to chain six wins and lift the long-awaited World Cup after of a crazy final against France decided in a penalty shootout (3-3 and 4-2).
FIFA gets into ‘Scaloneta’
Messi stands out for many as the best football player in history, but another Lionel, Scaloni, has confirmed himself as a great strategist. Without fuss, he knows how to adapt to his rival, to his own group of players and above all he has given Messi the perfect ecosystem on and off the field so that the ambition and football category of crack leads to success. FIFA also joins the ‘Scaloneta’ awarding him The Best.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
