Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about his team’s loss vs. Saudi Arabia at the World Cup.

In one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, World Cup favorites Argentina lost their opening match at the 2022 World Cup vs. Saudi Arabia. Argentina would go on to lift the trophy but it was a difficult start for Lionel Scaloni’s team. Scaloni spoke with AFAEstudio about the loss. Here is what he had to say:

“That game was very strange. For a coach, it’s ripping up the coaching card because everything we told them, was done. It happened and we didn’t win. It’s a one in a thousand game. We deserved to win the first half three or four-nil and in two minutes they scored two goals and it cost us to recover from it.

“It was a big blow but I was calm on the bench. I’m not saying I knew that everything that happened was going to happen but there were two ways to go at that moment: Say I’m going crazy, start to make changes, scream, wake them up or calm down and see if the came could be drawn or won. And after that, wipe the slate clean.

“The feeling in the match and on the pitch was strange. It was a bad turnaround and the match was already another match after the 2-1 score. We ran the risk that this loss would hurt us more than could happen to us. The World Cup continue, it was the first game and we to leave it as it was.

“Obviously it was a difficult loss. It had been a long time we didn’t lose but I knew that it could happen at any moment. It happened in the best (time), truthfully.”

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about the World Cup celebrations and the players with the team.

Lionel Scaloni has won every trophy there is to win as coach of the Argentina national team. He was moved to tears prior to Argentina’s match against Panama on Thursday and after the team’s 7-0 win vs. Curacao, the World Cup winning coach spoke to the media about it. Here is what he had to say:

“We like to compete and that’s the most important thing for what’s to come. We will never finish celebrating and I think it’s only fair that the whole country can enjoy it. From out side, we think about the sporting aspect because the ball runs and you have to keep going.

“We prepared for the match like we do for all of them. We don’t believe there are any small opponents. We have the experience of the first match from the World Cup.

“The goal is always the same: To compete. And that the guys that come don’t relax. That is what we all have in our minds.

“Everyone knows that Nicolás González and Giovanni Lo Celso were in the World Cup list. They were always in the cycle and they deserved to be in this celebration. They both bring us a lot of things on the pitch.

“The Argentine fans have always been one of the best and now they are the best. Whenever we played with this shirt, we always felt identified. Wherever we went, they always support us.

“We will continue to think objectively about what we might be lacking. We have a wide range of players. Thirty three came, so we have the pattern to pick from. If others come along, they will come too.

“The welcoming was very nice and I thank everyone who came to see their heroes. People have come from all over.

“The week was very emotional. To see how the people were jumping and singing at River’s stadium, to see the players emotional on the pitch, I think it was one of the best moments.”