On June 28, CEST, during the FIFA World Cup group stage, Argentina defeated Jordan 3-1. After the match, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni attended a press conference.

Here is the first part of the press conference:

Can you summarize your impressions after these first three matches with nine points earned?

Scaloni: From the perspective of winning all three matches, the overall impression is positive, especially because we've used all our players, which is always our goal. I believe everyone should not only enjoy the opportunity to participate in the FIFA World Cup but actually play in the matches. Fortunately, we've given them playing time, and I think they performed well, as it was a difficult match. The opponent is a good team; they defended tightly and didn't give us much space. Fortunately, our players played a good match, and that's what matters: keeping everyone ready and then evaluating for the future. Of course, if we can continue to trust in them, they've proven to me that they can do it.

What pleased you most in today's match? With all the rotation and experimentation you did? Also, how is everyone's condition? The schedule will be much tighter from now on; if we advance, there will be a match almost every three days. What do you think about the players' fitness?

Scaloni: Today, the only player on the bench unable to play is Cristian Romero. We hope he recovers; if not, we'll use other players. We know that from now on, the gap between matches will be shorter. Previously, there was a match every five or six days, but that will change from the Round of 16 onwards. Additionally, we'll play in Miami, where the weather is hot and the match timing is challenging, but players have performed in such conditions before, so we have nothing to complain about. Overall, everyone except Cristian Romero is fine and ready, and we hope he recovers.

Three wins in three matches, Argentina is among the teams with the most goals in the group stage and the second-fewest conceded. The dressing room seems to have excellent morale. How do you keep the team from becoming overconfident?

Scaloni: There's no such thing as being overconfident. We must continue to move forward, continue to play, and continue to give our all. As I said yesterday at the press conference, wearing this shirt means always fighting with everything we have, dedicating ourselves completely, trying to win as much as possible—that's what they did today and will continue to do in the future. They have this in them, and I won't stop repeating it: they are naturally very competitive, and that will always be the case, at least during my tenure. I believe Argentine players have always been this way, very devoted to the national team. We just need to let them continue to prove it on the pitch.

Messi came on in the second half, and the stadium immediately erupted with fans chanting his name. He scored again, marking his seventh consecutive FIFA World Cup with a goal, constantly breaking records. Does that surprise you, or are you used to it by now? How do you feel about it?

Scaloni: What you see, I see too. Every time I'm asked this question, I'm somewhat at a loss for words because I don't know what else to say. The only thing I can add is that today he could have played the full 90 minutes and perhaps extended his legendary record further, but he chose to give his teammates playing time as well, considering upcoming matches. That's very noteworthy; he's not just focused on the numbers people talk about.

So I'm very pleased he made this decision. I spoke with him, and he said this was the best approach, and I agree. This shows his attitude toward the national team, the club, and his teammates. That's excellent. As for the rest, I don't have any more adjectives to add.

You just mentioned Messi, and Lo Celso and Lautaro also scored. How important is it for both of them to score for the national team? Does this also boost their confidence?

Scaloni: I don't think we've ever doubted Lautaro, Alvarez, or Lo Celso. Goals are always welcome, of course, but their work has been excellent. Lautaro's performance has been outstanding, and even when he doesn't score, we're still very satisfied with him. He's been very dedicated since joining us and is a very professional player. Of course, if they score, that's better for them and the team, but even when they don't score, we're equally satisfied.

Why did you choose to start Alvarez and Lautaro together from the beginning? Did that meet your expectations? Second question, briefly: On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the team after the group stage?

Scaloni: I don't rate things on a scale of 1 to 10; that's not how I usually evaluate, but I can say we're performing well. It's hard to specify exactly what level, but we're really playing well. Now the FIFA World Cup is moving into a different phase. The reason for choosing to start both of them together is, first, to give Alvarez more playing time, since he hasn't started before and has only come on twice as a substitute. I always say that balance is key.

Today I felt the team could "afford the luxury" of using both of them. Overall, they've performed very well; they always play well together, for example, in the match against Paraguay and also at the Monumental Stadium. The two of them complement each other very well.

But I always say it depends on the match; there are different types of matches, and you need to find balance. The team can't lose this balance, or else unwanted situations will arise, players will be unhappy, and teammates will feel uncomfortable. Our goal is to maintain this structure and balance.

Today we tried to have them play together, and overall I'm very satisfied; they also created chances and contributed to our attacking play, which is very good.

As a coach, what do you think about five players making their FIFA World Cup debut for the first time? You yourself have experienced such moments.

Scaloni: This is an unforgettable moment for them, I can imagine. Actually, when arranging substitutes, we're trying to solve a "puzzle" to get players who need to play into the match without disrupting the team's overall balance. This was also one of our goals today, and we achieved it—I'm very satisfied.

I hope they truly understand what it means to wear the national team shirt and play in a FIFA World Cup. Based on their performance and reaction, I think they do understand this. So I'm very proud of that: we had almost all the players on the pitch take to the field, with only the goalkeepers not rotating, and overall I'm very satisfied.

Why did you choose Palacios to play right-back today? That's a position he hasn't played before.

Scaloni: First, Palacios has tried this position in training, and we felt it needed a rotational option. We were very satisfied with the choice, especially considering it wasn't an easy match.

Website AF đã ra mắt! Xem tin tức đầy đủ, bình luận, chi tiết trận đấu và thống kê trên máy tính. Truy cập: www.allfootballapp.com