Argentina coach Scaloni responded to questions about the team's condition, player position adjustments, and the overall competition in the FIFA World Cup at the pre-match press conference. Argentina will play Egypt in their next match.

Regarding the team's current performance, Scaloni stated that this FIFA World Cup is difficult for all teams. "No team has maintained their pre-FIFA World Cup level. France looked formidable before, but they also struggled against Paraguay; Spain won against Portugal, but it was tough until the last minute." He believes that players have played too many games this year, and physical exertion has affected their overall condition. "Argentina's performance is acceptable; we've won four games, which is satisfying enough. Of course, even when we win, there are areas that need improvement."

Speaking about Brazil's elimination, Scaloni admitted that he watched parts of that game, but due to training and weather, he could only watch intermittently. "Norway is a very good team, and if that shot had gone in, the result might have been completely different. This is the reality of football; we could have faced the same situation before. Brazil was up against a strong opponent."

Regarding the use and positioning of Paredes, Scaloni explained: "Leandro (Paredes) came with an injury, it's that simple. He has been a starter almost constantly since the FIFA World Cup. He was injured when he arrived this time, so we considered Alexis (Mac Allister) to be the ideal substitute, because Enzo (Fernández) plays a more advanced position at his club, closer to the penalty area. So, when Paredes was absent, we chose Alexis to play as a number five, and he did very well, but this was only because Leandro was injured, not because of poor form, but because he was injured."

Talking about the team's spirit, Scaloni said: "When the ball isn't moving well or the opponent creates difficulties for you, there's more than one way to win. If you can't play well by passing and controlling, you have to rely on grit, intensity, and passion – something that's in our Argentine blood. This team has these qualities. I'm sure that if we hadn't shown that character in the last game, we would have been eliminated. At the same time, after the game, we repeatedly watched the match replay, and Argentina was always the protagonist on the field. That conceded goal and the opponent's few chances didn't discourage us; on the contrary, we kept attacking, which is a good sign."

Regarding Messi's performance, Scaloni said: "He's fine. Despite playing 120 minutes in the last game, he has no complaints. Even if he has any discomfort, he hasn't told me, so he will play as usual."

Speaking about Egypt, Scaloni believes they are a very strong team. "They have high-level players, and their coach has been in charge for a while and has a clear game philosophy. Egypt plays well; although they've only won one of their four games, they've consistently maintained a clear tactical style and have caused problems for all their opponents. Tomorrow will be no exception; they are a tough opponent. As for Salah, he's a top player, and it's an honor to face him. But we always adopt a collective defense, and he deserves special attention; we analyze the entire Egypt team."

Regarding the schedule and the toll of the weather, Scaloni spoke frankly: "My role is coach, not scheduler. In the knockout stage, you should theoretically get more rest time, but the reality is quite the opposite. We played in high temperatures in Miami, and tomorrow we kick off again at noon. The rest time is not ideal. Egypt might have had a few more hours of rest than us, not a big difference, but I think the later it gets in the FIFA World Cup, especially in the knockout stage, the more rest time there should be." He also mentioned that besides the Miami game, other previous matches were played at night and in enclosed stadiums, so he didn't have many complaints about the pitch conditions.

Regarding the team's preparation, Scaloni revealed: "Paredes will start tomorrow; he is in good form, and I believe he will be on the field. As for the formation, we can play in multiple forms within the same game, and tomorrow's starting lineup won't be too different from before. We do need to be wary of certain Egyptian players, but we won't change our basic formation because of that."

Finally, regarding the team's running data, Scaloni said: "To be honest, I'm not a numbers-oriented coach; I don't know how much the team ran. But I know the players are definitely running, because if you face opponents with a clear physical advantage like Cape Verde – they are faster, stronger – if you don't run to offset these differences, you won't win the game. I'm sure they will fight until their last drop of sweat, until the last moment of the FIFA World Cup. Running is not something I'm worried about; what I need to do is improve other aspects."

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