Lionel Scaloni after the qualification against Austria: "When it’s time to suffer, the team does it"

Lautaro, Alexis, and Lisandro: the standout names highlighted by Scaloni

Beyond Messi's brace, Scaloni took the opportunity during the conference to praise the performance of several players he considers fundamental within the collective functioning of the National Team. One of them was Lautaro Martínez, who, despite not being able to score, the coach highlighted all the work he did during the nearly 70 minutes he was on the field and defended the decision to alternate him with Julián Álvarez in the starting lineup.

"Lautaro has done an enormous job: he was fouled for the penalty, did defensive work for the team, and had three goal-scoring opportunities that his teammates didn't find him", he explained.

In response to recurring questions about the possibility of seeing Lautaro and Julián together from the start, Scaloni was emphatic. "I would love to, I love both of them. All three with Leo, but he has to play", he joked before explaining that collective balance remains a priority. "If we lose balance, we can be a vulnerable team", he added.

With Lionel Messi once again being the standout player, the Argentine National Team defeated Austria 2-0 in the second match of Group J and secured their qualification to the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. After the match, Lionel Scaloni analyzed in a press conference the performance of his team, highlighted the group's ability to respond in difficult moments, praised several of his key players and previewed how the planning will be for the last commitment of the group stage.

A hard-fought victory to seal qualification

Beyond the result, Scaloni emphasized that the match once again demonstrated his team's ability to face adverse moments within a game.

"When we need to suffer, the team does", said the coach, who acknowledged that during some passages Austria managed to take the ball away from Argentina. However, he considered that the team's merit was in knowing how to interpret each situation.

"Regardless of whether we could do better, the team's merit is knowing what to do at every moment", he explained. And he recalled that the opponent was much more complex than many assumed: "It was said that it would be easy, and they saw how tough it was. They were complicated matches".

Messi, decisive once again

The standout player of the afternoon was again Lionel Messi. The author of both goals in the victory, the captain also received praise from Scaloni for aspects that go beyond his offensive contribution. The coach particularly highlighted an action that turned out to be decisive in opening the scoring and valued the commitment of the Rosario player when the team was going through uncomfortable moments. "Even today, when the team was suffering without having the ball, he worked and stole a ball for the goal", he pointed out.

For Scaloni, that attitude is what ultimately makes a difference within the group. "He was noticeable that he was committed. That is for a reason. Being committed is for a reason, and that is what he generates", he stated before surrendering to another memorable performance by the captain: "It's impressive. I don't know what else to say".

The reaction after the missed penalty and the impact of the rehydration break

One of the moments that could have changed the course of the match was the penalty wasted by Argentina during the first half. However, Scaloni highlighted the mental strength of his players to quickly absorb that impact and continue playing in the same manner.

"It is still a blow", acknowledged the coach, although he clarified that until that moment the team had already shown interesting things in attack. In fact, he particularly valued the action that led to the foul: "The play that resulted in the penalty was spectacular. Finishing it would have been very good".

The coach admitted that there was a feeling on the field that scoring that goal could completely change the match. "We felt a bit that if we scored that goal, it would be different", he explained. However, far from falling psychologically, Argentina kept calm and continued to insist. "They did important things after the penalty, although it is true that there were minutes where it seemed like nothing was happening", analyzed Scaloni.

For the coach, the maturity of the squad was once again evident in those moments when the match seemed to stagnate, and he emphasized once again the impact of the number 10. "When Leo activates, everyone activates. That is a merit", he assured.

The coach also highlighted the understanding that both forwards have of the situation. "The one who understands it best is him and Julián. The team comes first, and they handle it well", he assured.

Another name that received praise was Alexis Mac Allister, who again played as a central midfielder. Scaloni considered that the midfielder brings characteristics similar to those of Leandro Paredes or Exequiel Palacios and valued both his technical quality and physical deployment. "Besides playing, he is physically well. He is a kid with hierarchy. He is here, and we are happy. He contributes a lot", he stated.

In a similar vein, he emphasized the importance of the midfield in Argentina's performance and highlighted the work being done by Alexis, Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo De Paul, and Thiago Almada. "It is the part of the field through which the World Cup is going", he analyzed. And he added: "The most important thing, besides playing with the ball, is that they put on their work overalls. That is where a large part of our team's strength lies".

Finally, he also had words of recognition for Lisandro Martínez, one of the standout figures in defense against Austria. "Licha has always been important. Even when he wasn't a starter and Cuti and Otamendi were playing, he has always been present", he highlighted. For Scaloni, together with Romero and Nicolás Otamendi, they form the backbone of a defense that provides a lot of security to the team.

The concern for Romero and the wait for tests

The only negative note of the afternoon for Argentina was the exit of Cristian Romero due to a physical problem that raised alarms thinking about what is to come. Scaloni acknowledged that the defender had been carrying some discomfort, although he avoided anticipating a diagnosis before the medical tests. "We do not know the extent of his issue. It is something he has been dealing with", he explained.

The coach was cautious and made it clear that there are still no certainties about the severity of the situation. "Let's hope it's nothing. It's always better to have everyone available", he pointed out.

Qualification and what comes next

With the pass to the Round of 16 secured, Argentina will face the last group match with greater tranquility. However, Scaloni assured that the planning will not undergo major modifications. "It doesn't change anything for us. We would all have preferred to win both matches. Now we will analyze. There is one left to be played between Jordan and Algeria. We will see the result", he stated.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged that the intention is to use the next match to give minutes to several players who have been waiting for their opportunity. "The idea is to give the majority the chance to play, as they deserve it. As long as the match allows, we will do it", he explained.