‘We must be great in defeat’: Lionel Scaloni’s message as Argentina players lose temper after World Cup loss to Spain

Lionel Scaloni delivered a dignified message after Argentina’s heartbreaking defeat. His words came amid ugly post-match scuffles involving some of the most honoured representatives of Argentine football.

Some Argentine players clashed physically with their Spanish counterparts afterwards. Speaking to Telemundo, Scaloni remained composed despite crushing disappointment.

"We feel sadness, but we left everything out there," he said.

He praised his players' eternal fighting spirit and gratitude: “Eternal gratitude to these guys who reached another World Cup final. They competed until the end. I’ll keep an enormous memory of them.”

"We're great in victory, we must be great in defeat," he insisted.

He thanked the nation, insisting they'd given absolutely everything possible. "We arrived here running on fumes," he admitted honestly.

Still, he called their effort a powerful national example: "You lose, and you have to get back up.".

“If you leave everything out there like we did today, it’s a great example for our country. You lose, and you have to get back up again. There’s no other way,” he added.

Asked about being runners-up, Scaloni remained refreshingly honest. "Yes, I remember who finishes second. It costs so much to get here," he admitted. He acknowledged the immense cost of reaching such heights. "Of course, we'd have liked to have won," he added.

“Gratitude, and sadness, obviously. But when you leave everything out there, it’s very hard to reproach yourself,” Scaloni said.

Lionel Scaloni’s future as Argentina coach

Attention now turns to Scaloni's uncertain managerial future. He'll discuss it with AFA's president. Crucially, he hasn't yet spoken with captain

Messi.

Scaloni’s contract runs until December, which he'll honour fully. Beyond that, Scaloni admitted he needs serious time for reflection.

"I don't know if something this big can be repeated," he said.

He suggested a deeper conversation with officials was necessary. Scaloni also urged fans to celebrate reaching the final itself.

"It's very difficult to make people enjoy being runners-up," he said.

Scaloni reserved special praise for his squad's mentality. "They were warriors, and that is the truth," he declared.

Argentina celebrates

Even though their coach says it’s difficult to solemnise the second position, Argentine fans are in the mood to celebrate. Social media is getting flooded with videos showing fireworks in Buenos Aires.

People in the Argentine capital are drinking and dancing to celebrate the ‘Scalonisation’ of Argentine football. And, of course, they are cheering for their captain, Messi.

Meanwhile, Argentina President Javier Milei has declared a public holiday to celebrate the team’s achievement at the World Cup 2026. However, he has left it to the players to decide when that day should be.