Argentina thrashed Bolivia 4-0 at home in a friendly, and after the match, Argentina coach Scaloni attended a press conference to answer media questions. 

Good evening, Lionel. First of all, congratulations on the win. I have two questions: First, after three friendly matches, will the No. 10 jersey, which symbolizes the tactical core, be taken over by another player, or will it remain vacant for now? Second, what is the current status of the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions against Spain? Will it be held as scheduled or postponed until next year?

These two questions are exactly the same as those asked at yesterday's press conference. Regarding the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions, I have no information at the moment and have not received any official details. We will only know once the relevant departments finalize the specific date. As for the No. 10 jersey, absolutely no one will wear it until November. It belongs entirely to Leo until then. Starting from the next international break in November, we will decide who it goes to based on the situation. There are many excellent young players in the team who deserve to wear this jersey, but before announcing it publicly, we will first privately ask the player about his willingness to take on this responsibility. As long as the player is ready to bear this great honor, we welcome it with open arms.

You just talked about the roles of Alvarez and Lautaro, so what can Jose Lopez add to the team? Also, when substitutions were made today, was the intention originally to substitute Alvarez? It seemed there was a discrepancy when the board was raised on the sidelines. Alvarez was already preparing to leave, but in the end, Lautaro was substituted. Was this a mistake by the fourth official?

Absolutely not a mistake. At halftime, I told Alvarez that he would play for about 20 to 25 minutes in the second half. So when he saw Jose Lopez preparing to come on as a substitute on the sidelines, he instinctively thought he was being substituted. This was not anyone's fault; he simply misunderstood. But at that moment, the coaching staff temporarily decided to keep him on the field because he was in excellent physical condition, and we needed him to regain his rhythm through playing time, while Lautaro had just scored a brilliant goal and played perfectly throughout the match. In such a situation, the more logical substitution is usually to let the goal-scorer, who has broken his scoring drought and is satisfied, leave the field to receive applause. So we ultimately decided to substitute Lautaro, and this was definitely not an operational error.

As for Jose Lopez, everyone in the team highly praises him. He leaves a strong impression every time he comes off the bench. Besides scoring goals, he is always aggressive on the field. His defensive pressing covers an astonishing area, and he provides excellent presence in set-piece defense. He is an extremely versatile center-forward. His emergence is a huge benefit for the national team. He can play as a dual striker, a lone striker, and even as a false winger on the right in certain tactical setups. We are genuinely happy with his performance and impeccable team attitude.

Lionel, after the World Cup, what kind of team did you see when you returned to the national team? After such an emotionally intense World Cup, especially after that final, this national team had accustomed us to constantly winning. So, after experiencing defeat, did everyone feel emotionally drained when they started winning again? Or did they regain their energy when you saw them again? Also, I want to ask about Cristian Romero. This year marks the 10th anniversary of his national team debut at this stadium, the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba. When did you start paying attention to him and include him in the national team consideration? What has he brought to the national team, and what has the national team given him?

Meeting the players again after the final was our first conversation at the beginning of this training camp. I expressed my views, and this conversation was very similar to the one after the World Cup in Qatar. Back then, I told them that we had won the World Cup and now we must continue moving forward. After wearing this jersey, especially after winning the championship, we have no other choice but to continue competing and maintain the same attitude.

So when we gathered again after this final, I told them the same thing. Although the outcome was not what we wanted, we must continue moving forward, especially because we remain a competitive national team. I also told them that I am proud of anyone who wants to stay here and return. Anyone who wants to stay, or doesn't want to stay, can say so frankly, and there's no problem. That's pretty much what the conversation was about.

As for Cuti (Cristian Romero), he is an excellent player for us. For me, he is undoubtedly one of the best center-backs in the world. As long as he is in good physical condition and healthy, he is among the very best in the world.

Recently, his physical condition during the World Cup was not 100%, not reaching the peak we hoped to see. We always prefer him on the field because he brings something extra to the team. He is a very special player to me, with good passing ability. Of course, sometimes his movements are a bit aggressive, which we have always acknowledged. If there is anything he needs to improve, it's that.

Now, he is not only an excellent player but also the national team captain, and he will be part of the national team's history. Therefore, his actions must be exemplary. I believe he will understand this.

Good evening, Lionel. It's a pleasure to speak with you. I won't continue asking you who will wear the No. 10 jersey, but I want to ask: in your opinion, who can take on the role of connecting play in the final third? You have many options, as Mastantuono was mentioned earlier, and Nico Paz, as well as Thiago Almada, who is unavailable due to injury this time. This is a very important position, and with Messi leaving the national team, perhaps the team will focus more on the offensive end. What do you think about this? Are there any doubts?

No, on the contrary, I am very much looking forward to seeing Thiago, especially since we couldn't have him this time. He is a player we value highly and can bring a lot to the team. He can play on the left, as an attacking midfielder, or even in midfield. So Thiago can help us improve the team's strength, and we are waiting for his return.

As for Nico Paz and Mastantuono, what they can bring is different; each has his own characteristics. Yesterday, someone asked me if they could play together, and the answer is yes. But today I preferred not to have them play together because it would unbalance the team.

This is similar to when someone asked me before if Lautaro, Alvarez, and Messi could play together. We believe that having Alvarez, Lautaro, and Nico, plus a winger, is enough. If we were to add another player, it would require more training and integration. Of course, that is also a possibility.

We have seen the excellent technical skills of these young players, coupled with those you just mentioned, and many journalists have specifically highlighted the team's excellent technical ability and the large number of players you have at your disposal. So we also allow ourselves to be optimistic and hope to maintain the feeling that this national team has given us in recent years. What can we expect?

We will continue to compete. As for the final result, football is sometimes like that; the ball may go in, or it may not. But we will continue to compete and continue to play. We will try to play in the way we are playing now, because we have this group of players and also many players who didn't play today, such as Giuliano and Nico, who didn't participate today but can certainly help the team. In other words, we have enough options and can even play in different ways, so our current situation is good.

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