The head coach of the national team of Argentina Lionel Scaloni. Biography

Argentina national team head coach Lionel Scaloni will lead his team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain on July 19. For the 48-year-old specialist, this will be the fourth final of a major tournament in a row: under his leadership, the Argentines won the Copa America 2021, the World Cup 2022 and the Copa America 2024. About his life and career path — in the material of Izvestia.

Childhood and education

Lionel Sebastian Scaloni was born on May 16, 1978 in Pujato, Santa Fe Province (Argentina). He started taking his first steps in football in local youth teams, showing his ability to play defensively.

Scaloni started his career in the youth team of the Newells Old Boys club from Rosario (1990-1993). At the age of 16, he made his debut in the top Argentine league for the Newells main squad as a left back, and played a total of 16 matches for the club. In 1996-1997, he played for Estudiantes (La Plata), where he played 37 matches and scored seven goals.

In 1997, Scaloni won the World Youth Championship as a member of the Argentina U-20 national team — Juan Roman Riquelme, Pablo Aimar and Diego Placente played in that team. This achievement opened the way for him to Europe.

Playing career in Europe

As a professional football player, Scaloni played as a defender and midfielder. Most of his playing career was spent in Europe, in particular at the Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna. As a member of this team, he became the champion of Spain, the winner of the Cup and the Super Cup of the country. In total, Scaloni played 275 league matches during his career at Deportivo.

In 2006, on loan, the player played for English West Ham United (13 matches), then played for Spanish Racing from Santander (2006-2007, 30 matches), and finished his career with Italian clubs Lazio (2007-2008) and Atalanta (2013-2015).

He also represented the Argentine national team internationally, playing a total of seven matches, including being included in the team's bid for the 2006 World Cup.

Coaching and main achievements

After finishing his playing career, Scaloni moved on to coaching. In the fall of 2016, he began his coaching career as an assistant to Jorge Sampaoli at Sevilla FC in Spain. A year later, when Sampaoli took over the Argentine national team, he invited Scaloni to the coaching staff. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Argentines were eliminated in the 1/8 finals by France (3:4), after which Sampaoli left the post. In August, Scaloni was appointed head coach of the Argentine national team. Under his leadership, the national team went through the process of updating the squad and achieved significant results in the international arena.

In 2021, the Argentine national team won the Copa America, ending a 28-year streak without major trophies. In June 2022, Scaloni's team became the winners of the Finalissima, beating the reigning European champion, the Italian national team. The coach's main achievement was winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Argentina won its third title in history, beating the French national team in the final. At the 2026 World Championship, Albiceleste once again reached the finals, where they will face Spain.

Titles and awards

Lionel Scaloni has been awarded a number of prestigious international awards for his achievements as head coach. In 2022, he was recognized as the best coach in the world by FIFA as part of The Best FIFA Football Awards. He has also been repeatedly noted by sports organizations and the media as one of the most effective football specialists of our time.

Personal life

Scaloni is married to Elisa Montero. The family has two children. In 2012, the couple had a son, Yang, and in 2016, a son, Noah.