Argentina are bidding to become the first team in 64 years to retain the World Cup title, following Brazil’s achievement in 1962. Just two days before they attempt to reach a second consecutive World Cup final, this time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has expressed strong dissatisfaction with FIFA.
The Albiceleste coach has lashed out at world football’s governing body for organizing what he described as a “forced” training session, held shortly after the squad arrived in New Jersey following their 2-1 semi-final victory over England in Atlanta.
Speaking at a press event on Friday ahead of the final against Spain at MetLife Stadium, Scaloni was highly critical of the rushed training session, which was essentially squeezed in before a FIFA-mandated media conference.
“We are only getting a little rest now, because we arrived here at around 11 p.m. last night. Today they forced us to train at a time we didn’t want at all. Because of the press conference and other formalities, we ended up with a very strange and rushed training session where we didn’t have the chance to work on anything tactical,” Scaloni was quoted as saying by Argentine media outlet TyC Sports.
Argentina’s players were compelled to train at 3:30 p.m. local time in the sweltering US summer heat. The 48-year-old coach has been consistently vocal throughout the tournament about the demanding knockout schedule and the insufficient recovery time between matches.
Before the round of 16 match against Egypt, Scaloni had said, “As the tournament progresses and the number of matches increases, the players need more rest. But here the opposite is happening.”
He had also complained at the time: “That day we played in intense heat in Miami, and now we have to play again the following afternoon. This recovery period is far from ideal. I think Egypt had slightly more time to recover than we did. The difference may not be enormous, but I believe that at the final stages of the World Cup, rest becomes the single most important factor.”
At Friday’s press conference, Scaloni reiterated that his team’s absolute priority is rest and recovery before their fifth match in 15 days. Asked about the fitness of Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez, the Argentina coach said candidly, “We are focusing entirely on recovery right now, and based on that we will assess how the players are. Some members of the squad are not yet 100 percent fit, so we will evaluate their condition. We plan to play in our familiar style, while keeping in mind the strengths and positive qualities of our opponents.”
