Will Messi keep taking penalties? Here’s what Argentina coach Scaloni said
Scaloni says Messi remains first choice from the spot, praises his influence on the team, and dismisses claims of refereeing favouritism before the World Cup quarterfinal
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has made it clear that despite a rough patch from the spot, Lionel Messi remains Argentina’s designated penalty taker unless the captain himself decides otherwise.
“First of all, Leo will take penalties if he wants to,” Scaloni stated during Friday’s press conference, speaking ahead of Argentina’s World Cup quarterfinal clash against Switzerland. “We have other players capable of taking them, but if he wants to take them, he’ll take them.”
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Messi has failed to convert both of his penalty kicks in the tournament so far, and his conversion rate stands at just four out of his last seven for the national team since the 2022 World Cup. Even so, Scaloni implied that Messi’s legendary status and brilliant overall form mean the choice is entirely up to him.
Scaloni defends Messi’s role
He also reaffirmed that Messi has complete tactical freedom to drift across the pitch in search of openings, pointing to the final moments against Egypt where Messi pulled out to the right wing during a tense 3-2 victory.
“In truth, these days he usually plays much more centrally,” Scaloni explained, “but our entire team – and especially the players who move around him – play in relation to him. That’s normal. It happened naturally within the flow of the game. The team realised that he was creating danger from that side, especially because he was able to find passes into the opposite side where teammates could arrive. I think that became very clear.”
In that match against Egypt, Messi set up the opener and netted the equalizer, bringing his tournament tally to eight goals and an assist, alongside 15 chances created across 410 minutes of play. Even factoring in the penalty misses, his numbers over the last two World Cups are staggering: 15 goals, four assists, and 36 chances created. Though Messi turned 39 on June 24, Scaloni doesn’t see much difference in his recent physical output. “Leo runs pretty much the same amount he always has,” he remarked.
“It's not that he’s running significantly more or less. The difference is that now everything he does is much more decisive. ... Maybe it surprises people who don't know him, who expected that at 39 he wouldn't still be at this level. I've said it many times: As long as he wants to keep playing, he'll be the best. That's what I believe. Not because I'm his coach. As long as he still has the desire, he'll remain the best.”
Argentina unfazed by criticism
Reflecting on the knockout stages, Scaloni expressed satisfaction with how his squad handled two incredibly high-stakes matches.
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When pressed on recent complaints from Egypt manager Hossam Hassan regarding referees favoring the reigning world champions, Scaloni shrugged off the criticism, noting that these narratives are nothing new.
“Honestly, people have been saying those kinds of things about Argentina for a very long time,” he replied. “Back in 1986 [when Diego Maradona won the tournament], people also said Argentina received favorable treatment.”
While Argentina did benefit from a VAR review that chalked off an Egypt goal due to a foul in the buildup, Scaloni maintained that the officials simply made the right decision.