Scaloni apologizes for not bringing World Cup in emotional letter

A week after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, coach Lionel Scaloni published a heartfelt message on Instagram apologizing to fans. "Lo siento por no haberles podido traer otra copa" ("I'm sorry for not being able to bring you another cup"), he wrote, describing a week of mixed emotions Source: Clarin, Infobae.

The message

Scaloni reflected on the team's values, referring to his players as "mis guerreros" ("my warriors") and listing qualities like effort, resilience, and the ability to withstand criticism — specifically mentioning "baldazos de agua fría (DE GENTE QUE NO NOS CONOCE)" ("cold buckets of water FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW US") in capital letters Source: Infobae. He argued that these attributes constitute the real trophy Source: Clarin.

Gratitude and future

Scaloni thanked his coaching staff, players, AFA personnel, and fans, closing with the phrase "Quien tiene un amigo argentino, tiene un tesoro" ("He who has an Argentine friend has a treasure") Source: Clarin. Notably, he made no mention of his future as coach; Infobae reports that AFA intends to offer him a contract extension until 2030, though his current deal expires in December Source: Infobae.