At 8 AM on September 6, the 7th round of the South American qualifiers for the World Cup will see Argentina hosting Chile at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Ahead of the match, Scaloni attended a press conference where he addressed topics such as Di Maria, the number 10 jersey, and captain selection.
With Messi absent, who would take over the number 10 jersey and who would lead the team as captain became hot topics. Scaloni said, “I believe that when Messi is not here, Angel Correa will wear the number 10 jersey, but this is not an issue. We all know whose jersey it is and who its owner is; it’s a jersey we hold dear. The player wearing the captain’s armband must represent the team, and we have many players capable of doing so. It depends on the lineup tomorrow.”
During the press conference, Scaloni twice mentioned Di Maria because this match would honor Di Maria by the Argentine public. The first time, he said, “Honoring Di Maria is fitting; he deserves such respect from the public. He has always been one of the best players in history, leaving behind an indelible legacy. We need to learn from him, never give up, persist until the end, both in life and football. He is remarkable both as a player and as a man, which makes him even more outstanding.”
The second time, he said, “I talked with Di Maria about whether he could play, not just for a few minutes, because this is an important match. I met him on the plane and told him that it was important for people to see him. After discussing it with him, he clearly understands that he bid farewell during the Copa America, a perfect cinematic ending that couldn’t be better.”
Regarding the pairing of Lautaro and Alvarez, Scaloni stated, “This question is always asked, and my answer remains the same; they have played together before, so it’s possible. It depends on the tactics we want to adopt and the situation of each player at the time, but they can indeed play together.”
Scaloni also spoke about Messi’s recovery: “Before announcing the squad, I asked Messi about his condition; he had not been training, so including him was premature. He told me he was improving, just a matter of time, and would soon return to playing for his club. Hopefully, he’ll be back for the next national team training camp.”
Scaloni also discussed Dybala and injured players: “Dybala’s inclusion has nothing to do with his decision to stay in Italy. Given some players’ absence, he becomes a player who can contribute to our team. MacAllister didn’t train due to excessive load and discomfort; we’ll wait to see how he responds. For other positions, most players’ availability is basically decided.”