Scaloni set for new Argentina contract

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Argentine football chief Claudio Tapia said Monday that he is confident Lionel Scaloni will continue as national team manager following the Albiceleste's World Cup triumph.

Scaloni's contract expires on December 31 but the Argentine Football Association (AFA) wants to secure the 44-year-old on another four-year term after he led the South American country to its third World Cup title in Qatar earlier this month.

Argentina's coach #00 Lionel Scaloni touches the FIFA World Cup Trophy during the trophy ceremony after Argentina won the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 18, 2022. (Photo: AFP)

"I have no doubt that he will continue to be the head coach of the Argentina team," AFA president Tapia told reporters eight days after the Albiceleste's dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in Lusail.

"We are both men of our word, we shook hands, we said yes to each other. He is currently traveling but as soon as he comes back we are going to finalize it."

Scaloni originally took charge on an interim basis in the wake of Jorge Sampaoli's sacking after the 2018 World Cup. The former Deportivo La Coruna winger is now seen as indispensable, having guided the Albiceleste to the Copa America and World Cup titles in the past 18 months.